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PC 43/12 Agenda Item 8 Appendix 1
MIDHURST CONSERVATION AREA
CHARACTER APPRAISAL AND MANAGEMENT PROPOSALS Final Draft
April 2012
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MIDHURST CONSERVATION AREA CHARACTER APPRAISAL AND MANAGEMENT PROPOSALS
Contact Details For further information about the Midhurst Conservation Area please contact:
Design & Implementation Planning Policy Chichester District Council, South Downs National Park Authority, East Pallant House, Rosemary’s Parlour, 1 East Pallant, North Street, Chichester, Midhurst, West Sussex PO19 1TY. West Sussex GU29 9SB T: 01243 785166 T: 01730 811748 E: [email protected] E: [email protected]
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CONTENTS
PART 1 THE MIDHURST CONSERVATION AREA – CHARACTER APPRAISAL
1 Introduction 7 1.1 Midhurst Conservation Area 1.2 Summary of special interest 1.3 The control of conservation areas 1.4 The local policy framework 1.5 Community involvement
2 Location and landscape setting 9 2.1 Location and activities 2.2 Topography 2.3 Geology 2.4 The landscape setting 2.5 Nature conservation 2.5.1 River Rother and Rother Valley SNCI 2.5.2 South Pond and stream area
3 History 10 3.1 Historical development 3.2 Archaeology
4 Spatial analysis 12 4.1 Layout and street pattern 4.2 Open spaces 4.3 Focal buildings 4.4 Key views and vistas 4.5 Trees 4.6 Roofscape 4.7 Boundaries 4.8 Public Realm 4.9 Paving Surfaces
5 The buildings of the conservation area 20 5.1 Building character types 5.2 Listed buildings 5.3 Positive buildings 5.4 Building materials and colours
6 Character analysis 24 6.1 Definition of character areas 6.2 Character Area 1:St Ann’s Hill and Cowdray 6.2.1 Key Characteristics 6.2.2 Key negative features
6.3 Character Area 2: Historic Town Core 6.3.1 Spatial types 6.3.2 Building character types 6.3.3 Building materials and colours 6.3.4 Building storey heights 6.3.5 Landscaping elements 6.3.6 Assessment of building quality
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6.3.7 Key negative features
6.4 Character Area 3: Early Town Expansion 6.4.1 Spatial types 6.4.2 Key Characteristics 6.4.3 Building character types 6.4.4 Building materials and colours 6.4.5 Building storey heights 6.4.6 Landscaping elements 6.4.7 Assessment of building quality 6.4.8 Key negative features
6.5 Character Area 4: North Street – Upper 6.5.1 Spatial types 6.5.2 Key Characteristics 6.5.3 Building character types 6.5.4 Building materials and colours 6.5.5 Building storey heights 6.5.6 Assessment of building quality 6.5.7 Key negative features
6.6 Character Area 5: North Street – Lower 6.6.1 Spatial types 6.6.2 Key Characteristics 6.6.3 Building character types 6.6.4 Building materials and colours 6.6.5 Building storey heights 6.6.6 Assessment of building quality 6.6.7 Key negative features
6.7 Character Area 6: River System 6.7.1 Spatial types 6.7.2 Key Characteristics 6.7.3 Building character types 6.7.4 Building materials and colours 6.7.5 Building storey heights 6.7.6 Assessment of building quality 6.7.7 Key negative features
6.8 Character Area 7: Suburbs 6.8.1 Spatial types 6.8.2 Key Characteristics 6.8.3 Building character types 6.8.4 Building materials and colours 6.8.5 Building storey heights 6.8.6 Landscaping elements 6.8.7 Assessment of building quality 6.8.8 Key negative features
7 Issues 53 7.1 Conservation area boundary review 7.2 The control of unlisted dwellings 7.3 The control of satellite dishes 7.4 The care and protection of trees and the landscape in general 7.5 Traffic and pedestrian management 7.6 HGVs 7.7 Local and statutory list
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7.8 Roofs and dormers
PART 2 MIDHURST CONSERVATION AREA - MANAGEMENT PROPOSALS
1 Introduction 55 1.1 Format of the Management Proposals 1.2 The purpose of the Management Proposals
2 Legislative background 55 2.1 The implications of conservation area designation 2.2 The control of development and change 2.3 National policy and guidance 2.4 The Local Plan and the emerging Local Development Framework
3 Recommended actions 57 3.1 Conservation area boundary review 3.2 The control of unlisted houses and cottages 3.3 The control of satellite dishes 3.4 The care and protection of trees and the landscape in general 3.5 Traffic and pedestrian management 3.6 Local and statutory list 3.7 Roofs and dormers 3.8 Heritage walk 3.9 Works affecting the public realm 3.10 New development within the conservation area 3.11 Alterations to buildings in the conservation area
4 Recommended Management Proposals relating to the Character Areas 63 4.1 Character Area 1 4.2 Character Area 2 4.3 Character Area 3 4.4 Character Area 4 4.5 Character Area 5 4.6 Character Area 6 4.7 Character Area 7 4.8 Nature conservation management proposals
5 Monitoring and review 67
6 Action Plan 67 6.1 Immediate projects 6.2 Medium term projects 6.3 Continuous tasks
APPENDICES
Appendix 1 Maps Appendix 2 Public Realm survey
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1. INTRODUCTION have been modified and replaced as tastes and budgets allowed. Midhurst never experienced a 1.1 MIDHURST CONSERVATION AREA major economic boom but developed slowly and gently. It gradually grew from an estimated This Conservation Area Character Appraisal population of 180 in 1295 to around 1,880 in with its attendant Management Proposals was 1961. After 1961 the population expanded drafted by Chichester District Council and is suddenly with the construction of large suburbs. based upon a previous version, adopted in These were, however, built entirely outside the November 2000. It differs from its predecessor historic core and had no significant impact on its historic structure and character. in order to take account of the ‘Guidance on Conservation Area Appraisals’ published by The essential features of the early, planned English Heritage in 2006. settlement still define the town’s historic centre st and are fundamental to its significance: On 1 April, 2011, South Downs National Park Authority assumed its duties as Local Planning Authority. It adopted this appraisal on 15th . St Ann’s Hill March, 2012. . The Marketplace . Buildings to east and west of the This appraisal identifies the character and original open marketplace qualities of the Midhurst Conservation Area, . The church at the centre of the highlights key issues and puts forward marketplace proposals for its management. The . The line of the town ditch Management Proposals address the list of . Routes into the town via West identified negative features and propose Street, South Street and measures that will enhance the quality and Knockhundred Row significance of the conservation area. . The ancient north-south route of North Street and its continuation Seven distinct sub-sections of the conservation as Wool Lane area have been identified, to draw out their . The River Rother and its tributary contrasting characters. As part of the appraisal . The largely complete survival of process, the existing conservation area the early medieval town plan boundary was reviewed. The enlarged area has been included in the analysis. Midhurst’s historic core exhibits an unusual Following the drafting of the appraisal a public degree of autonomy and separation from later consultation was carried out from 9th July, 2011 phases of expansion due to the topographic for six weeks. After this, South Downs National and ownership characteristics of the Park Authority made amendments as surrounding landscape. Cowdray placed appropriate. restrictions on development to the east and Midhurst Common to the west. The areas of 1.2 SUMMARY OF SPECIAL INTEREST South Pond and the Liberty of St John (the triangle of land held by the Knights Hospitallers) Midhurst is remarkable for the quality and also created a separation from subsequent preservation of its historic environment. Its development to the south. historic plan form and its relationship to topographic features are readily discernible. It The physical proximity and influence of the takes only a small effort to imagine its early Cowdray estate is one of Midhurst’s special form: the castle on St Ann’s Hill, the small town features. The spacious, managed natural surrounded by a defensive ditch and the large, environment confers stately qualities upon the un-encroached marketplace surrounded by settlement. timber-framed houses.
In its gradual development, this plan form has been maintained but the buildings occupying it
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1.3 THE CONTROL OF CONSERVATION not imply that it is of no interest and because AREAS both will be subject to regular review, it will be possible to amend any future documents Conservation Areas are defined as 'an area of accordingly. special architectural or historic interest the character or appearance of which it is desirable It should be read in conjunction with the wider to preserve or enhance'. development plan policy framework, set out in the West Sussex County Structure Plan 2001- Local planning authorities are required to 2016 and the Chichester District Council Local formulate and publish proposals for the Plan, adopted in April 1999. preservation and enhancement of conservation areas. In making a decision on a planning In the Local Plan, Inset Map No. 4 confirms that application for development within a the following policies apply to Midhurst: conservation area, special attention must be paid to the desirability of preserving or enhancing the character or appearance of that . There is a Settlement Boundary which is drawn fairly tightly around area. the built-up area - this is covered
In response to these statutory duties, this by Policy BE1; document defines and records the special The conservation area lies within architectural and historic interest of the . Midhurst Conservation Area and identifies the Settlement Boundary except at opportunities for enhancement. Government the north and east of the town where the conservation area guidance regarding the management of historic buildings and conservation areas is currently includes the ruins of Cowdray and set out within The National Planning Policy associated land - this is covered Framework. by Policy BE6;
In April 2011 the South Downs National Park . The water meadows to the west of Authority assumed its duties as Local Planning the ruins of Cowdray is designated a Site of Nature Conservation Authority. Day to day management of Midhurst Conservation Area is delegated to Chichester Importance - this is covered by District. Policy RE8
This document therefore seeks to: . Define the special interest of the 1.5 COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT Midhurst conservation area and identify the issues which threaten This document was redrafted and updated the special qualities of the following a review of the conservation area conservation area (in the form of boundary undertaken by officers of Chichester the “Character Appraisal”); District Council. Copies were distributed to Midhurst Town Council, Midhurst Town Trust . Provide guidelines to prevent harm and the Midhurst Society. After the completion and achieve enhancement (in the of public consultation, the final draft was form of the “Management amended by conservation officers of the South Proposals”). Downs National Park Authority.
1.4 THE LOCAL POLICY FRAMEWORK
These documents provide a firm basis on which applications for development within the Midhurst Conservation Area can be assessed. The omission of any feature in either the appraisal or the management proposals does
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2. LOCATION AND built on the sandstones of the Folkestone LANDSCAPE SETTING Formation.
The geology is significant in having defined the 2.1. LOCATION AND ACTIVITIES range of building materials used in Midhurst: Midhurst has a population of 5,000 and is . Clay to produce tiles, bricks, situated in West Sussex at the junction of two paviors and decoration ancient routes, now defined by the A286 and A272. Haslemere is 10km to the north, . Ironstone, found as nodules in Petworth 9.5km to the East, Chichester 16.5km the clay, used principally for to the south and Petersfield 13km to the west. galetting
Of the 2206 people of working age, most . Lower Greensand stone for (16.95%) are engaged in the wholesale & retail walling and paving trade, which reflects Midhurst’s market town character. The second main employment . Chalk to produce lime for plaster activity is health and social work (14.28%), and mortar which relates to the presence of Midhurst Community Hospital and Easebourne Cottage . Timber as a fuel and building Hospital. Other major employment activities material include real estate; renting and business activities (12.69%), manufacturing (12.06%), . Water for living and industry construction (8.66%), education (7.75%) and hotels and catering (6.84%). Clay and Greensand geology, in contrast to the Downs, supports the development of 2.2. TOPOGRAPHY forests. Timber has therefore been a characteristic building material of the town. Midhurst lies at the base of the wide, east- The presence of the river is also significant in west valley of the River Rother, which is having moulded the landscape and providing dominated to the south by the scarp slope of an essential resource for living and industry. the chalk Downs and to the north by the The availability of surface water has affected gentler ridge of the upper Greensand. The the location of settlement and industrial Rother flows east south-east to join the River activity. Arun near Pulborough. The town is sited close to the end of spur of land (St Ann’s Hill) 2.4 THE LANDSCAPE SETTING bounded by the Rother and a small, south- west running tributary. Locally the land rises Midhurst lies within the South Downs National westwards from about 21m above Ordnance Park. In 2003 West Sussex County Council Datum at the river to over 70m on Midhurst produced a West Sussex Landscape Character Common. Assessment which divided the county into 43 areas of distinct character. Midhurst lies 2.3 GEOLOGY between WG1: Western Scarp Footslopes, WG2: Rother Farmlands and WG5: Rother The historic core of the town lies almost entirely Woods and Heaths. WSCC Land Management on the Sandgate beds of the lower Greensand Guidelines and relevant publications can be Group of sandstones. From north-east to viewed online at www.westsussex.gov.uk. southwest these comprise the Lower Fittleworth Member (extending as far as Ognell’s Flats), 2.5 NATURE CONSERVATION the Selham Ironshot Sands Member, the Upper Fittleworth Member (a c.20m wide band, Within the conservation area there are a extending round the east side of St Ann’s Hill), number of features of nature conservation the Pulborough Sandrock Member (upon which interest. most of the historic town is built), and the Marehill Clay Member (which crosses Bepton 2.5.1 RIVER ROTHER AND ROTHER Road in the vicinity of the Roman Catholic VALLEY SITE OF NATURE church). Beyond this the southern suburbs are CONSERVATION INTEREST (SNCI)
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Within the southern end of the conservation The River Rother and Rother Valley Site of area is South Pond with its surrounding alder Nature Conservation Interest (SNCI) cross the and willow woodland and wetland. The pond is northern end of the conservation area. This almost exclusively used by Mallard ducks but is includes a stretch of the River Rother and part visited by swans and herons. Woodpeckers, of Cowdray Park. The SNCI has been siskins, goldfinches, redpolls, as well as a designated for its nature conservation value. number of tit species use the surrounding woodland. (i) River Rother Alder and willow trees dominate the banks of The section of woodland South West of South this section of the Rother. The rich fauna Pond is designated as Ancient Woodland, includes breeding grey wagtail and kingfisher, which means it is a site that has had a fish such as brown trout, grayling, perch, stone continuous woodland cover since at least 1600. loach and minnow, and both Banded and Alder and willow predominate but other tree Beautiful Demoiselle damselflies. and shrub species found along the banks include, beech, field maple, ash, cherry, hazel (ii) Cowdray Park and sycamore. Cowdray Park contains some important ancient and mature trees including oak, lime, beech, 3 HISTORY sweet chestnut and horse chestnut. It is one of the only two places in West Sussex where the 3.1 HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT plant Shepherd’s Cress (Teesdalia nudicaulis) has been recorded. The presence of Britain’s Midhurst’s exact historic origins are not known most endangered mammal, the European but it was probably founded to promote trade at Protected Water Vole (Arvicola terrestris) has a strategically expedient but undeveloped (or also been recorded within the park. underdeveloped) location.1 Previous to the establishment of a settlement, routes through The ruins of Cowdray are important for bats, the Weald converged at a convenient crossing with the Whiskered Bat (Myotis mystacinus), over the River Rother. The principal north-south Brown Long-eared Bat (Plecotus auritus) and route connected the important Saxon hundredal Pipistrelle Bats (Pipistrellus pipistrellus) centre of Easebourne with Chichester via recorded there. Cocking. This followed the line of what later became North Street, Wool Lane and the The Cowdray water meadows consist of two eastern boundary of the triangle of land wet meadows that border the River Rother, subsequently called the ‘Liberty of St John’, separated by a raised bank. Coarse grasses crossing the stream where South Pond now and clumps of rushes (Juncus) dominate the exists. Diverging from it was a minor route grazed meadows. serving Bepton and the villages below the scarp slope of the Downs. Twenty-two Biodiversity Action Plan species (national priority species) were recorded in or Late in 1067 or early 1068, King William I close to this section of the SNCI. The following entrusted Roger of Montgomery with a large were recorded in the last ten years: European part of western Sussex which became known Eel (Anguilla anguilla); Poplar Leaf Roller as the Rape of Arundel. The site of the town (Byctiscus populis); Nightjar (Caprimulgus was part of this landholding but it is not known if europaeus); a lichen (Bacidia incompta): Basil there was any settlement already in existence Thyme (Clinopodium acinos); Yellowhammer at this time. (Emberiza citronella); Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus); Wood Lark (Lullula arborea); Roger of Montgomery erected earthwork Spotted Flycatcher (Muscicapa striata); castles at strategic points within his estates, Soprano Pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pygmaeus); Brown Long-eared Bat (Plecotus auritus); Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur) and Water Vole 1 There is some debate as to whether Midhurst has (Arvicola terrestris). Saxon or Norman origins. Until documentary or archaeological evidence suggests otherwise, the 2.5.2 SOUTH POND AND STREAM AREA thesis presented in Midhurst (Chichester District Archaeology 1, 2001) that Midhurst is a town of Norman foundation will be followed. 9 both within towns (e.g. Chichester) and at litigation brought against him by the bishop of places where, for economic and military London, Savaric declared that his ancestors reasons, he wished to plant towns (e.g. had always been accustomed to take tolls in Arundel). It is thought likely that when he their market at Midhurst. arrived in Sussex, Roger established a motte and bailey castle on a natural outcrop at Midhurst was represented as a borough in 1248 Midhurst to command the crossing of the River and in 1278 it was claimed that Midhurst had Rother. been a free borough from ‘time immemorial’ (which in English Law is usually meant to mean As the military requirement lessened in the ‘before 1189’). As markets in villages were the region, Roger may have established a planned responsibility of the manorial lord, borough trading settlement (borough) to exploit the status implies that Midhurst was a town by this economic potential of his Sussex lands. He is time at the latest. known to have done similarly elsewhere. The area enclosed by the historic line of the town The early settlement consisted of the castle ditch has characteristics of a Norman planned with a planned town within a defensive circuit to town. its west, between it and the main north-south route. The town comprised a large open The Rape of Arundel remained in the hands of marketplace flanked by building plots (i.e. the Montgomery family until 1102 when Roger’s equating to the plots on the west side of Church eldest son, Robert of Bellême, rebelled against Hill and the east side of Sheep Lane). The King Henry I and was banished from England. parish church was located at the centre of the In 1108 Henry I granted Midhurst and various marketplace. Behind the plots on the west side other Sussex properties to Savaric fitz Cana. was a street (now the longer stretch of Duck Savaric married Muriel, whose family lands Lane), common in many new towns and known were concentrated at Saint-Georges-de-Bohun. as the ‘back lane’, which probably originally Savaric was succeeded by Ralph, who began a extended all the way round the inside of the family connection with the new crusading order rampart. It would have given access to the back of Hospitallers that was later introduced to of the ramparts and would also have acted as a Midhurst. service road behind properties.
Ralph died without heir in the 1150s and The traveller from Easebourne would have Midhurst passed to his brother Gelduin. From entered through the north gate, part way along the late twelfth century the descendants of Knockhundred Row. The Row is a link-road Savaric fitz Cana adopted de Bohun as their from the old route, represented by North Street, family name. By the mid 1180s Gelduin’s son, to the planned town. Road diversions, Franco de Bohun, had inherited his English sometimes necessitating sharp bends that lands. Either Gelduin or Franco may have obliged or encouraged the traveller to pass initiated the rebuilding of Midhurst Castle in through a new market place or market town are stone. attested elsewhere. On the west side were two further gates, symmetrically sited. The more Franco’s son, Engelgar was active in support of northerly lay at the east end of the shorter King John and is recorded as having given the stretch of Duck Lane, which seems originally to proceeds of a mill at Midhurst to Waverley have led from the market place and continued Abbey in Surrey. It is thought that the likeliest beyond Rumbold’s Hill as June Lane. The other position for this mill was to the north of the lay just west of the junction of the southern end town, by the present site of North Mill. There of Duck Lane and West Street. A fourth gate lay was a second mill in Midhurst and it is thought at the lower end of South Street across a newly that this was probably located next to South constructed causeway over the dam forming Pond to the immediate east of the causeway. South Pond from which a short stretch of new Sir John de Bohun owned both mills on his road linked up with the old route to Chichester, death in 1284 and the Knights Hospitallers had and a fifth gate would have given access to the their tithes. castle or manor house on St Ann’s Hill.
It is known that by the 1220s the market at The extensive original marketplace contracted Midhurst was well established and it held a through encroachment. Some of this would market charter from 1223. In countering have been planned as open spaces were often
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‘closed’ at one or both ends to form a built up square surrounding the green. Other ‘islands’ of The inter-war years saw the building of the development would have been opportunistic, as substantial brick post office in Grange Road. temporary market stalls became more Midhurst suffered some bomb damage in 1942, permanent. The 1632 map illustrates that there the most significant loss being the were previously two rows in the middle of Congregational Church (or ‘Temple’) built on Church Hill (now much reduced). the corner of Petersfield and Bepton Roads. Historic buildings on the north side of Bepton Insert 1632 map Road were lost, creating an unfortunate opening for some of Midhurst’s weakest With time, the capacity for infilling and plot architecture. subdivision was met and development had to venture outside of the line of the town ditch. Midhurst’s suburbs expanded to the south and The east end of West Street and Knockhundred west between 1971 and 2001, reflected in a Row would have been developed first. doubling of the population in the same period. Despite the continued existence of local shops The triangular area of land (later known as the and businesses, commuting became the new Liberty of St John) was granted to the Knights economic basis for the town. The provision of Hospitallers in the thirteenth century and was new housing and the retention of the historic owned by them until 1540 when it became part core have also made the town attractive as a of the Cowdray estates. location for retirement.
The common to the west, the Hospitaller’s land 3.2 ARCHAEOLOGY and South Pond to the south and St Ann’s Hill and meadows to the east restricted Midhurst’s There are two Scheduled Monuments within the potential for expansion. It could therefore conservation area. These are the castle expand only northwards, towards the causeway remains on St Ann's Hill and the ruins of linking Cowdray (established c1280 to replace Cowdray. the manor house on St Ann’s Hill) to North Street. It is thought that North Street may have Apart from investigations of the site of the been developed in the thirteenth or fourteenth castle on St Ann’s Hill in 1913 and 1994, century at its present width. archaeological excavation has been limited by the lack of major modern redevelopment within There was little change to this medieval street the historic core. The results of a small number pattern between 1500 and 1840, with most of of modest trial trenches and watching briefs the buildings of this period built within the that have been undertaken since the mid-1990s existing street plan. Comparison between a have tended to support the proposed map of the current town with an estate map of development of the medieval town. Systematic 1632 and the 1841 Tithe Map shows that little archaeological investigations of standing had changed in the medieval core. Expansion historic buildings have been rare although there in the nineteenth century followed the existing is much documentary evidence. Further Petersfield, Bepton and Chichester Roads. investigation should be pursued wherever Post-1918 development within the conservation opportunities arise and their results should be area has been minimal. properly disseminated. Midhurst preserves a rich mosaic of heritage that demonstrates the It is thought that the River Rother was diverted evolution of the component parts of the from its historic position (preserved as the townscape over nearly 1000 years. It is vital parish boundary) to the base of St Ann’s Hill by that these are properly understood. Capability Brown in the 1770s. 4. SPATIAL ANALYSIS The 1897 Ordnance Survey map shows modest suburbs having been constructed (since 1875) 4.1 LAYOUT AND STREET PATTERN on Chichester, Bepton and Petersfield Roads. The map of 1912 shows that those off Much of Midhurst’s historic significance Petersfield and Bepton Roads continued to be derives from the early medieval plan form developed and Ashfield Road created as a which remains largely intact. The street pattern linking suburban street between. visible today is the result of deliberate early 11 planning and continuous evolution. The street . The broad North Street pattern is unusual in that the shops of the historic core are quite disconnected from the . The triangular space at the other commercial centre at North Street. junction of Rumbold’s Hill and Wool Lane Midhurst’s historic core is approached via four principal roads, North Street from the north, . Church Hill Petersfield Road from the west and two from the south: Bepton Road and South Street. Of . The Market Square these, only South Street leads directly into the town’s historic centre at Church Hill and . Edinburgh Square Market Square. Church Hill continues the line of South Street until it turns abruptly west, as Knockhundred Row, to join the southern end The urban grain within the conservation area is of North Street. The town fabric between relatively dense. With the exception of several Church Hill and Rumbold’s Hill is divided into grander dwellings and public buildings there are three by Wool Lane and Duck Lane, which few detached properties. The buildings, mostly of two or two and a half storeys are contiguous both run in a north-south direction. and generally form a hard building line to the Midhurst’s historic streets are not of even width back edge of pavement. Any permeability to but vary from narrow lanes like Sheep Lane, rear areas and gardens is mainly by covered which is less than 4 metres wide in places, to passageways through the sides of properties, wide thoroughfares like North Street, which has although some wider access ways exist a maximum width of around 25 metres. This between buildings. The divisions between variation creates a townscape with a wide private and public areas are generally clearly range of visual qualities. The compositional defined. Private open space is mostly hidden balance between openness and enclosure is an from view by high walls or is located to the rear important feature to be maintained and serves of properties. The scarcity of open green areas as a good example for civic space design within the core contrasts with abundant elsewhere. openness and greenery around the periphery of the town centre.
Lanes that are defined by their The majority of individual buildings within the narrowness and sense of enclosure are: conservation area, whether grand or modest, contribute to the character and appearance of . Knockhundred Row the streetscape. Each character area has been analysed and positive buildings have . Sheep Lane been identified. This served as the basis for a listing programme and, potentially, a local list. . Red Lion Street 4.2 OPEN SPACES . Duck Lane (and Pintails) Open Spaces that contribute to the Character of Midhurst’s conservation area include: West Street and Rumbold’s Hill have a strong sense of enclosure but their greater breadth . North Mill Pond and surroundings and views to open spaces beyond give them a more typical commercial street character. . Cowdray Park Spaces whose character and function exceed that of a street and serve as public open . The Curfew Garden spaces include: . St Ann’s Hill
. The churchyard and cemetery of the parish church
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(i) North Mill Pond (v) Churchyard and cemetery of the parish church North Mill Pond and its surroundings, including Rother Pond, provide an attractive natural The churchyard and cemetery of the parish environment for species conservation and church provide attractive, contemplative spaces recreation within a short walk of the town at the core of the town. The churchyard around centre. Located on the course of the River the south and east of the church is markedly Rother, it also has the potential to be included different in character to the cemetery annexed in a riverside walk, which could add to the on the east side of Sheep Lane. The cemetery tourism value of Midhurst. The overgrown area has a central path leading through overgrown to the northwest of North Mill should be bushes and trees. The path ends with a wall but considered in the context of the mill and its there is a blocked gateway and there may be associated waterworks. Appropriate potential to reopen this to provide an attractive interpretation and land management could aid path to St Ann’s Hill. The cemetery is owned by its understanding. Chichester District Council and could be enhanced through a regular maintenance (ii) Cowdray Park regime.
Cowdray Park has acted as buffer against the spread of development to the east. Views to and from the park play an important role in Midhurst’s character. The water meadow and the River Rother is a Site of Nature Conservation Importance. Viewed along the Causeway from North Street, the ruins of Cowdray form perhaps the most distinctive landmark in Midhurst. The ruins are listed Grade I and are classified as a Scheduled Ancient Monument.
(iii) Curfew Garden
The Curfew Garden is a plot of land of about a quarter of an acre by the corner in Knockhundred Row, owned by Midhurst Town Trust. It is said that a lost traveller who was guided to Midhurst by the tolling of the parish church bell gave it to the town. The garden is leased so is sadly not accessible to the general public. It would have potential to serve as a welcome public garden.
(iv) St Ann's Hill
St Ann's Hill, which includes a Scheduled Monument, is thickly wooded on three sides with fine mature trees located around its highest part. It rises above and to the east of the historic core and can be seen from many vantage points, making it a green landmark and an essential contributor to the town's character. Several footpaths cross the wooded slopes and could form part of a 'Heritage Walk' for the town. There are excellent views over the town’s varied roofscape and the surrounding country.
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(vi) South Pond
The area of South Pond functions as a town park, providing an accessible green breathing space close to the historic core. It forms an 12. Lyndale/Birdcage House, Church important buffer between the older parts of Midhurst and the suburban development to the Hill south. Like North Mill Pond, it would benefit from interpretation to aid an understanding of 13. St Ann’s House, Sheep Lane its significance to the historic town as millpond 14. Midhurst Library, Knockhundred and fishpond. The river valley to the northeast and southwest also provides an important Row recreational resource and wildlife habitat. 15. Burgage House, Knockhundred 4.3 FOCAL BUILDINGS Row
Midhurst’s principal historic focal point is the 16. Global Flowers, North Street parish church of St Mary Magdalene and St 17. Midhurst Post Office, Grange Denys in the Market Square. This marks the Road centre of the town, asserting its primacy over the Market Square, Church Hill and 18. Blackiston House, West Street neighbouring streets. 19. The Bricklayer’s Arms, West Street By terminating vistas or providing a focus to a street, buildings assert their character on 20. Midhurst Stationers, corner of spaces. These are listed below: West Street & Rumbold’s Hill
21. Midhurst Convent villa, Petersfield Road 1. The ruins of Cowdray 22. St Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, 2. Church of St Mary Magdalene and Bepton Road St Denys, Church Hill 23. Bennetts Terrace and Masonic 3. Town Hall, Market Square Hall, Bepton Road 4. St Ann’s Hall, St Ann’s Hill 24. The Wheatsheaf, Wool Lane 5. Spread Eagle Annexe (Old Market 25. 413/416 Rumbold’s Hill House), South Street 26. The Old Surgery, Rumbold’s Hill 6. Gate House & Bierton House, Edinburgh Square 27. The Angel Hotel, North Street 7. Swan Inn & Harvey’s Wine Shop, 28. The Clockhouse, North Street Red Lion Street 29. Capron House/ Grammar School, 8. The Fernery, Granville House and North Street Johnson & Clarence, Market Square 30. Midhurst Methodist Church, North Street 9. Eagle House, Market Square 31. North Mill, North Street 10. Spread Eagle Hotel, South Street 32. Vanzell Cottages, Dodsley Lane 11. Church Terrace on east side of Church Hill 14
Although North Mill and Vanzell Cottages are in 11. Down South Street to trees and up Easebourne, they assert a strong influence to the Spread Eagle Hotel Annexe over the north end of the conservation area and (Old Market House) the entrance to Midhurst, so are included. 12. From South Street to South Pond The ruins of Cowdray and the associated estate and the historic core buildings are important focal buildings although their parkland setting separates them from 13. From Red Lion Street towards Midhurst’s urban grain. They form a positive houses on east side of South counterpoint with the town, rather than being Street part of its intrinsic structure. 14. From South Street/South Pond to 4.4 KEY VIEWS AND VISTAS towards the Old Town, St Ann’s Hill and distant trees The historic core of Midhurst is characterised by a high degree of enclosure. Spaces tend to 15. St Ann’s Hill from The Wharf be closed and views controlled by the articulation of surrounding buildings. Where the 16. The River Rother from The Warf topography or street layout facilitates longer and walk around base of St Ann’s views, they usually end with trees. In this way, Hill there are regular reminders of Midhurst’s rural and parkland setting. Significant views and 17. Glimpsed views of Cowdray from vistas are listed below: base of St Ann’s Hill
18. Across Cowdray water meadow, 1. Glimpsed views of ruins of unspoilt landscape and Cowdray from St Ann’s Hill (views countryside beyond more open in winter) 19. Towards Cowdray and associated 2. Across old town roofscape from St structures Ann’s Hill (winter only) 20. Up causeway towards town 3. From St Ann’s Hill towards wooded hills in the west 21. Over Rotherfield Pond
4. Picturesque views up and down St 22. From North Mill Bridge to weirs Ann’s Hill (lane) and Mill
5. Various views towards Parish 23. From North Street towards North Church Mill and Vanzell Cottages
6. Towards Town Hall 24. Up North Street towards Methodist Church 7. Towards 346/347 St Ann’s Hill (the Arts and Crafts building) 25. Glimpsed views of Cowdray from North Street 8. Church Hill, both directions 26. Up the commercial part of North 9. From Edinburgh Square north Street towards Sheep Lane 27. Distant trees beyond both ends of 10. From Church Hill east up Sheep North Street Lane, terminated by St Ann’s House 28. Glimpses into paved yards off North Street 15
29. Up Knockhundred Row to Library 5. Trees to the rear of 'Lane End' on Sheep Lane 30. Rural view up June Lane
31. Picturesque views into Wool Lane from both ends Other trees that contribute to the character of the conservation area are listed below. Note 32. View from North Street towards that trees outside the conservation area and in the Wheatsheaf Public House the distant countryside also have a bearing on its character. 33. Up Petersfield Road, terminating with trees 1. Tree (Wellingtonia) at corner of 34. Up and down West Street North Street with Lamberts Lane (north end) 35. Up Bepton Road, with trees terminating view 2. Tree (Robinia pseudoacacia) at eastern end of Grange Road (in
forecourt area to north-east of Post Office building) adjacent to 4.5 TREES cafe Trees are important to the character of 3. Four (2 Beech, 2 Oak) trees in the Midhurst’s conservation area. Trees are often grounds of St Ann's House, Sheep visible in the distance, recalling the town’s Lane name, which means ‘middle wood’. They also terminate views in the middle distance along 4. Tree (Black Poplar) on Cowdray the roads that radiate from the town centre. land along south side of North These express the edge of the town centre and Street to the south of North Mill contribute to a sense of enclosure. Although suburbs extend beyond, they communicate a 5. Large magnolia in garden of Trinity boundary between centre and periphery. Cottage, Church Hill Midhurst’s built environment is not full of trees 6. In churchyard of St Mary but a few groups and individual specimens help Magdalene and St Denys Church to animate streets and provide focal points. The (in addition to protected cedar) majority of visible foliage comes from trees located in private gardens. 7. In cemetery of St Mary Magdalene The following trees are covered by Tree and St Denys Church Preservation Orders: 8. In Market Square
9. Visible in views from South Street, 1. Sweet Chestnuts and Oaks on St to the east, south and west Ann's Hill 10. Surrounding South Pond 2. Beech tree in car park of Nat West Bank, Rumbold’s Hill 11. On east side of Chichester Road
3. Trees on eastern boundary of the 12. Following the course of the River land adjoining the Catholic Church on Rother Bepton Road 13. Around St Ann’s Hill 4. The large cedar tree at St Mary Magdalene and St Denys Church 14. Various locations on Cowdray land
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repository for numerous important veteran 15. Around North Mill pond trees. 16. Around Rotherfield Pond St Ann's Hill is thickly wooded on three sides 17. Between North Street and with fine mature trees around its highest part. The removal of saplings and a few mature trees Cowdray watermeadows from the northeast slope would permit views of the ruins of Cowdray currently visible only in 18. In front gardens of houses to east winter. of Methodist Church
19. Around North Street car park 4.6 ROOFSCAPE
20. Specimen trees on North Street The topography means that roofs can be prominent in many parts of the conservation 21. Along June Lane area. From high ground such as St Ann's Hill the limited, characteristic range of roof shapes, 22. Seen in distance in long views to heights and pitches can be appreciated. north and south from South Street The predominant roof form is of eaves running 23. Those closing the view up parallel to the street. Pitches of about 40 Petersfield Road degrees predominate for buildings with plain tile roofs and lower pitches for slate. The 24. Those closing the view up Bepton Victorians and Edwardians had a fondness for Road gables to the road; their sparse distribution adds variety without detracting from the 25. Around St Mary’s Church dominant pattern. No attempt has been apparent to align the eaves of neighbouring 26. Those ending the view from properties and a varied eaves line can be Edinburgh Square towards Sheep regarded as a local characteristic. Lane Most roofs are covered with clay tiles, as 27. Ending views down both ends of Lamberts Lane and the belt of would be expected in the Weald. Some trees visible on the hill to the west. replacement in Welsh slate is evident, but concrete tiles and pantiles are not 28. To southern edge of Grange car characteristic and relatively scarce. park 4.7 BOUNDARIES
Old walls have considerable importance in The South Pond area is a civic park and serves defining the historic pattern of development in to separate the old town from more modern Midhurst. They often survive long after their expansion. The trees on its northern side also original function has disappeared and can help to screen less attractive, modern provide valuable evidence of previous patterns development and so contribute to an of settlement, boundaries of long since appreciation of Midhurst’s historic coherence. demolished buildings and stages in the outward The recent removal of shrubbery and hedging expansion of the town. High walls often define has exposed the Grange car park, to the rear boundaries. They are also valuable in their detriment of the area’s historic character. own right from an aesthetic point of view, usually being constructed of local sandstone and mellowed by age. Cowdray land has also served as a barrier and has prevented development to the east. The One of the most attractive examples is the line of trees to the east side of North Street Listed wall which lines the northern side of the (lower) help to divide the urban and parkland lane leading to St Ann's Hill, where the skill and environments. The park is on the statutory list care of the builders can be appreciated in the of historic parks and gardens and is a diminishing size of stones in the coursing. 17
Many of the older walls within the conservation crossing from side properties. These area are considered to be important to its communicate hierarchy and add to the legibility character and appearance and should be of the environment. preserved. Where Purbeck limestone is used in the public 4.8 PUBLIC REALM realm it is usually in relation to properties of status. The stone is also used in the private A survey of street furniture, signage and public alleys and courts of some buildings of more realm features has been undertaken by the moderate status. sense of place group and results may be found at Appendix 1. Local Lower Greensand, Purbeck Limestone and local waterstruck paviors are the only vernacular paving materials in Midhurst and 4.9 PAVING SURFACES their use is controlled by craft conventions. For example, even though red brick paviors were readily available, they were never regarded as Midhurst’s historic paving is concentrated in the appropriate for paving surfaces, only in defining historic core, the streets surrounding the Market their edges. Square and in North Street, and dates from the mid-eighteenth century. The predominant The problems and expense associated with vernacular paving material is local Lower sourcing local stone of the right qualities for Greensand . The one remaining quarry on the paving has meant that the characteristic paving Cowdray Estate, operated by Shropshire Stone, patterns have been under pressure from has advised that its current stone is not industrially produced products. sufficiently hard for paving. Whether the historic paving does not meet modern specifications or Staffordshire blue pavers have been used for the stone quarried previously was harder has areas of lesser status such as back alleyways not been conclusively determined. The Lower and courts. Their presence is not as obvious as Greensand beds did have a capping of harder in neighbouring Petworth, where they have stone that might have been utilised for paving, asserted their presence on the public realm. but it is not certain whether softer stone was They are a relatively inexpensive paving also used. material for back alleys and drives but they should not be used to replace stone paving or Some of the best preserved Lower Greensand where their appearance would dominate the paving is in back courts and private lanes scene. where it has been under less pressure from traffic and statutory undertakers. Horsham Stone is an appropriate compromise material, as it comes from a similar Lower The Lower Greensand paving was laid in small, Greensand bed and is hard enough for paving. irregular setts or rubblestone in courses of Where repairs need to be made to existing differing widths. A typical sett might be around historic paving, the reclaimed local stone or 150-250mm long and 80-150mm wide. Courses Horsham Stone should be employed using the were laid perpendicular to the line of the road correct, traditional craft methods. North Street and edged in larger stones that provided a in particular has suffered from extensive areas kerb. of repairs executed in inappropriate materials like granite. Boundaries between the pavement and building frontages vary, with edging stones similar to the The areas of granite paving in North Street and kerb stones often defining the edge of the Market Square are not in keeping with the pavement. Buildings of higher status might be character of Midhurst’s conservation area. A edged in waterstruck paviors from Lamb’s scheme is currently under development to Pitsham brickworks or with Purbeck limestone repave the Market Square and surrounding flags. streets in Horsham Stone. It is hoped that a similar improvement scheme can be extended Particular local details articulate the to West Street and North Street, while retaining relationships between the pavement surfaces all areas of historic paving. and other ‘events’ such as lanes or paths
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5 THE BUILDINGS OF THE There are 108 statutory list entries in the CONSERVATION AREA conservation area (one Grade I, two Grade II*, and 105 Grade II). Of these, three visibly predate 1500; seven are sixteenth century; 31 5.1 BUILDING CHARACTER TYPES are seventeenth century; 38 are eighteenth century; 25 are early nineteenth century; one is An attempt has been made to categorise from 1841-1880; one Edwardian, one (a buildings according to their character types. telephone box) is from the mid-twentieth This may address issues of age, use and century and one is of post-war date. There will architectural form and materials. The intention be many more buildings in the conservation is not to identify strict functional, historic or area that are of greater historic significance architectural qualities but to define a range of than is currently realised. It must also be categories that effectively differentiate between assumed that a number of the timber-framed buildings of contrasting character. The intention buildings conservatively dated to the is to identify the character buildings exert on the seventeenth century may be sixteenth century public realm now, rather than analyse their or earlier. Many Tudor buildings were refronted historic origins. The categories are: in the eighteenth century and have significance
as examples of both periods.
1. Medieval/timber framed, with or 5.3 POSITIVE BUILDINGS without shop 2. Georgian style with shop Although not suitable for inclusion on the 3. Georgian style residential 4. Victorian/Edwardian/early C20 Statutory List, many buildings have been focal building/church identified as positive in townscape contribution 5. Victorian/ Edwardian gabled with and are illustrated on the relevant character shop area maps. 6. Victorian/ Edwardian house 7. Cottage terrace 8. Industrial/service/ancillary 5.4 BUILDING MATERIALS AND 9. Modern, neo-traditional COLOURS 10. Modern, negative impact Midhurst has a varied palette of traditional building materials. Proposals for alterations and new build will be expected to demonstrate an Character types are illustrated and discussed in understanding of the appropriate use of these the character area sections. materials in the different character areas.
Timber Framing 5.2 LISTED BUILDINGS Timber framing is the main building technique The majority of Listed buildings are located for thirty five buildings, mostly dating from the within the historic core and along North Street sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. However, and its southern extension to Rumbold’s Hill. many of these were re-fronted in the Georgian Within this central area, most buildings are and Victorian periods and fewer buildings listed. Listed buildings form almost continuous outwardly express an original, authentic timber frontages to North Street, Rumbold’s Hill, framed character. Knockhundred Row, Church Hill, Sheep Lane, Edinburgh Square, South Street, West Street, Timber framed buildings would originally have been infilled with wattle and daub panels but Duck Lane and Wool Lane. Combined with the most of these have been replaced with more Scheduled Monuments on St Ann’s Hill and modern equivalents, including brick. the ruins of Cowdray, Midhurst has a largely Subsequent re-fronting could be executed in unspoilt historic environment of exceptional render, tile hanging, or solid brick or stone. quality and value. There are a significant number of mainly Edwardian buildings that employ mock or semi-
19 structural half timbering as an aesthetic device. rendered with score lines marked vertically and These buildings are partly responsible for any horizontally to give the appearance of fine perception there might be that Midhurst is a ashlar stone blocks (e.g. Sussex House, West town characterised by black-and-white, half- Street; Tudor View, North Street; Apsley timbered buildings. Many of Midhurst’s genuine House, Church Hill and Burgage House, timber framed buildings are now clad or lime Knockhundred Row). plastered and so impart a more subtle character than their more brash Edwardian There are several examples of buildings that counterparts. express their status through their prominent use of stone. Examples include the collection of Local Stone buildings flanking Capron House, including the neoclassical Grammar School and the building The Parish Church of St Mary Magdalene and to the south now known as 1 Cowdray Court. St Denys dates from the early thirteenth century (although largely rebuilt since) and is entirely of There are several stone buildings that have stone. Ashlar is used in places and rubblestone been painted so often as to superficially appear infill between ashlar quoins in others. lime plastered.
The eighteenth century marked a change in the The way in which materials such as stone are preferred method of construction, with stone used in a narrative of status needs to be and brick replacing timber frame. In addition to understood and appropriately reflected in new the buildings wholly belonging to this period, developments. many of the earlier timber framed buildings were re-fronted in the eighteenth century. Much of Midhurst’s stone came from quarries within the Cowdray estate, such as St James's Midhurst’s local Lower Greensand stone does and Stone Pit at Easebourne, both now closed. not easily offer large, even blocks of ashlar and Winters Pit quarry to the north of Easebourne is generally used in quite small, irregular pieces has recently reopened and should be used for with corners and other details in brick. Although building repair and construction. It is operated attractive to us today, this rustic appearance by Shropshire Stone: Shropshire Stone & would not have been desirable to Georgian Granite Ltd, 01939 261199 Station Yard, builders, who sought to achieve regularity and Shrewsbury, SY4 2BQ. order, at least on front elevations. Much of the local stone, therefore, is seen exposed on the sides and backs of buildings of status (the front Lower Greensand can vary considerably in tone elevations usually being lime plastered or brick) and texture from one quarry to the next and or employed on buildings and structures of even within the same quarry. It is therefore more lowly standing, including service buildings important that in repair work a good match is and boundary walls. The attractive terrace of sought in both these aspects and that (apart stone houses on the east side of the Market from some projecting features) stone is laid in Square (The Fernery and Granville House) its natural bedding plane. forms a good example. Although of local stone with ironstone galetting and attractive red brick Ironstone was used infrequently due to the details, historic photos show that these small amounts quarried and difficulty in working elevations were previously lime plastered and it into blocks of sufficient size for building. A were probably built with this intention. unique example of its constructional use in Midhurst can be seen at Lassiters Cottage in A lime wash was often applied to rubblework. Lamberts Lane. From the eighteenth century This improved the appearance, acted as a the decorative technique known as galletting sacrificial coat and enabled the building to involved the insertion of small pieces of iron breathe. Modern paint is not a viable alternative stone into the mortar joints between sandstone as it seals the stone and traps in moisture, blocks - for example, at Iron Gates Cottage, which can cause the front of the stone to blow. North Street (a re-fronted sixteenth century Only front elevations in fine ashlar stone were property). Although flint is more common, the intended to be left exposed. In the late use of iron stone is quite distinctive to this part Georgian period, good quality buildings of of Sussex and, when present, re-pointing work stone, rubble or timber framing were often lime
20 should ensure galetting is reinstated and Georgian period. Gate House and Bierton matches the appearance of the original. House in Edinburgh Square and Goldrings on West Street are noteworthy for having Brick elevations principally of burnt blue headers, with details picked out in red brick. Their Brick became fashionable in high status modern equivalents are usually produced by architecture from the end of the sixteenth the use of dyes and do not result in the same century and this helped to popularise the appearance. material in vernacular building. As well as encouraging new construction in brickwork, There are a few buildings in Midhurst built fashion led to the use of bricks as false fronts or principally of brick but with stone used for the in the total encasement of timber framed dressings to quoins, window and door buildings. Brick is increasingly popular from the openings. eighteenth century and is the dominant building material from around 1800 onwards. Between the 1930s and 1985, S Pearson & Son, based at Midhurst Common, produced A further advantage of brickwork over other white sand-lime bricks. They are not attractive, forms of wall construction was the way but an example can be seen in an ancillary decorative effects could be obtained relatively range to the rear of Midhurst Granaries. Bricks cheaply. These included surface patterns, by of a greater range of colours than the traditional the use of differently coloured bricks and palette have been employed since the early surface modelling, as in the imitation of twentieth century, sometimes in misguided classical details and stringcourses in brickwork. attempts to mimic the colour of the local stone. Moulded bricks and terracotta came into use This has detracted from Midhurst’s strong during the eighteenth century, when skilled vernacular tradition and should be resisted in craftsmen cut, carved and rubbed bricks to any future developments. produce delicately moulded forms. There are also several brick buildings that have The Wealden clays were used to produce the been painted so regularly as to superficially bricks and tiles used on most buildings in appear to be lime plastered. Some buildings Midhurst that date from before the start of the that have been constructed from bricks that twentieth century. Although several brickworks conflict with the local tradition might be operated in the Midhurst area, a large improved by being lime rendered or painted. proportion of the bricks came from the still operating Pitsham Brickworks (Lamb’s). These Lime Plaster bricks were clamp fired and have a rustic, mottled appearance with small pieces of burnt Lime plaster is the commonest cladding charcoal usually visible. For finer work, bricks material for front elevations in the most historic were fired in a kiln and generally have a more parts of the conservation area. Brick is more even tone and texture. The Wealden clays have common only in the nineteenth and twentieth a high level of iron, giving bricks a basic red century suburbs. colour. However, the tones of bricks have changed through time and even bricks from the Lime plaster was used as an unbroken weather same brickyard can vary from light orange to protective covering over timber framed dark red depending upon the clay beds worked buildings and had several advantages over and the firing temperature. Bricks produced in wattle and daub and tile claddings. From the the past at different brickworks varied slightly in middle of the eighteenth century, plain plaster size. Replacement and repair work should use cladding became popular both in refurbishing bricks of the same dimensions. These can still timber framed buildings and in new be obtained by order from the Pitsham works. construction. It provided the regularity and order so important to the Georgians and could Burnt headers, which are grey, blue or black, be scored to mimic expensive ashlar. Smooth were produced by the reaction of wood smoke stucco renderings were applied to rubble walls with the clay in parts of the Kiln where oxygen and, except for the general flatness that comes was excluded. Laid in Flemish bond from the shallow window reveals of timber- (sometimes English bond) they create a pattern framed building, it can be difficult to tell one over the elevation that was popular in the form of construction from another.
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Timber framed buildings such as Tudor View in There are numerous examples of buildings North Street were given new façades, in this which have first floors or gables hung with plain case clearly an applied device, to give ‘polite’ clay tiles. On the most historic medieval Georgian regularity. The façade appears to be examples, tiles have been used to clad the of rubblestone that has been rendered and jettied upper floor of timber framed buildings. scored to give the required effect. Mida Cottage and Wool Cottage in Wool Lane are examples. Tiles of several shapes are Plaster also enables architectural details employed for decorative effect and for usually executed in stone, such as quoins, weathering details: plain, club, fishtail, vertically cornices and rustication, to be achieved more angled and other specials. cheaply. The Angel Hotel in North Street is a timber-framed building dating from the On a single building the clay tiles can vary from seventeenth century, but has an eighteenth- light orange to deep red although the combined century eight-bay façade of three storeys, with effect is deep orange. The Bricklayers Arms on a carriage arch and rusticated ground floor. West Street has a tile-hung first floor that was unfortunately painted in the twentieth century. Midhurst has two examples of buildings clad in The majority of medieval buildings with tile- Roman Cement, which was a material hung first floors have stone or lime plastered developed in the 1780s and is, in fact, nothing ground floors. like the cement used by the Romans. These buildings are the early nineteenth century villa The Victorians used tile hanging for decorative of Midhurst Convent and Bevis Rowntree effect, attached to brick or timber framed solicitors, Sheep Lane. Its similarity to the now elevations. ubiquitous Portland Cement render has meant that Roman Cement is less valued now. Tile cladding has been employed on a number Indeed, when a World War II bomb fell in of twentieth century buildings but invariably the Sheep Lane and damaged St Ann’s Hill House, tiles used are a poor approximation of their adjacent to the solicitor’s, it was decided to strip historic precedents. Modern tiles are often too the remaining structure back to its underlying flat and regular, of too even and locally stone with brick details. The building had incorrect colours or without the decorative previously had the same decorative gothic effect that comes from combining tiles of mouldings as the adjacent office. different shapes. Russell House, on the corner of Petersfield and Bepton Road is an example Clay Tiles of modern tile hanging that detracts from local distinctiveness. Plain clay tiles gave better weather protection than wattle and daub infill panels and were Hand-made clay tiles are by far the most adopted as a cladding material over timber popular roofing material in the conservation framed walls when they became cheap and area. Roofs are usually steeply pitched at about easily available. Fifteen examples may be 40, a few degrees steeper if the building is found on pre-1800 buildings. older and previously thatched. Hipped roofs are common in Midhurst and hip tiles give a jagged The plain roofing tiles were hung on laths nailed edge to the roof profile. Roofs of more shallow to the wall timbers and other special tiles were pitches only appeared with the use of slate from moulded to cover the corners and jambs, or the early nineteenth century. Later, Victorian wooden cover moulds and architraves were and Edwardian builders returned to a fashion used. Although the ordinary 10½ in. by 6½ in. for steeply pitched roofs, often with gables roofing tile was most commonly used, other facing the street. tiles with a shaped bottom edge were used to give decorative effects. Hand-made tiles usually Slate had a camber in both directions, which helped to cover irregularities in a wooden wall and give Welsh slate was brought to Sussex from the a more textured appearance than modern, flat early nineteenth century. As it sheds water tiles. Various shaped tiles have been used in more efficiently than tile it could be laid at a Midhurst, often combined together for lower pitch and shallow roofs became a decorative effect. characteristic feature of Regency architecture.
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To a lesser extent, slate was also used in should be made of the buildings on the corner replacing roofs of thatch or tile. of Edinburgh Square and St Ann's Hill (No.317), built in an Arts and Crafts style Weatherboarding reminiscent of Philip Webb by E C Lee in 1878. Weatherboarding is commonly used as a cladding material for side and rear elevations 6 CHARACTER ANALYSIS and for service buildings. Its use on front elevations is rare on historic buildings in the 6.1 DEFINITION OF CHARACTER conservation area, a reflection of its relatively AREAS low status. Most buildings employing weatherboarding for front elevations are Seven character areas have been identified modern and introduce a rustic effect that within and adjacent to Midhurst’s conservation detracts from Midhurst’s refined character. area based on historical development, uses,
building types and spatial qualities: Mathematical Tile
There are two examples of mathematical tile in 1. St Ann’s Hill Midhurst, The Clockhouse in North Street and the side of the Gatehouse in Edinburgh Square. 2. Historic Town Centre Although important buildings, mathematical tile is not a characteristic building material in 3. Early Town Expansion Midhurst. 4. North Street – upper
Material Combinations 5. North Street – lower
The characteristic ways in which Midhurst’s 6. River corridor palette of materials are combined within individual buildings requires careful attention 7. Suburbs when designing new buildings. Too many modern buildings employ materials in ways that are not characteristic or in combinations that have no historic precedent. When seeking These character areas are defined below with to fit in with the historic environment, modern a summary of their key characteristics and designers commonly make the mistake of principal negative features. These have been using too many materials. Vernacular buildings used to compile the list of Issues that form the are often characterised by an elegant proposed Actions in the Management simplicity that comes from the efficient use of a Proposals. limited materials palette. 6.2 CHARACTER AREA 1 Cowdray Colours ST ANN’S HILL AND COWDRAY
The Cowdray Estate has had a major influence Character Area 1 is on the eastern edge of the on buildings and development in Midhurst. The medieval and modern settlement. Today, the yellow colour applied to the wooden door and area contains the mound and ruinous remains window surrounds of buildings in their of the castle, a Scheduled Monument. Part is ownership has become a feature contributing to quite heavily wooded and there are few the character of Midhurst. This colour has only standing buildings. Cowdray Ruins stand in an been used since the early twentieth century. open, expansive parkland setting to the north. The Estate distinguishes its 'let' houses by doors in off white and green, and buildings 6.2.1 KEY CHARACTERISTICS within the park itself by off-white and black. Surrounded by large trees, the castle mound at Housing built specifically by the Estate dates the top of St Ann’s Hill has a protected, mainly from the mid Victorian to Edwardian enclosed character. In summer, the foliage period and is of high quality. Specific mention 23 largely hides views to Cowdray and over the This device is significant in views into the space surrounding town and country. Despite the from West Street and from Sheep Lane to the elevated position, its enclosed character makes north. the space feel secluded and hidden from view. Broad Street 6.2.2 KEY NEGATIVE FEATURES Church Hill has the character of a broad street used for markets. The space is 89 metres long . Through being hidden from view and (north/south direction) and its width tapers from not subject to passive surveillance, 20 metres at its southern end to only 7 metres information boards and benches have at its northern. It is largely enclosed on both suffered from vandalism. There is also east and west sides. The southern section of its evidence that fires have been started east side is bounded by the west front of the and trees damaged by vandals. church and the perimeter wall to the churchyard. Its southern end is terminated by two buildings (Swan Inn and Elizabeth House), which stand in the middle of the space and 6.3 CHARACTER AREA 2 allow traffic to pass either side. This island HISTORIC TOWN CORE structure is important in terminating views into Church Hill from the north. Its northern end Character Area 2 largely comprises the extent narrows before connecting with a small of the early planned town, contained within the triangular public space at the top of line of the defensive town ditch. This consisted Knockhundred Row. of a market place with the parish church, flanked by regular building plots. Expansion of Commercial Street the town from the thirteenth century onwards has seen building over the line of the ditch and The eastern end of West Street has the partial infill of the market place. Today, the area character of a town retail street. It is quite lies east of the commercial centre of Midhurst consistently enclosed on north and south sides. and accommodates a mix of uses: residential, There are three breaks in the southern shops, pubs, hotels, and other businesses, elevation to provide access to service yards at together with the parish church and its old the rear of properties. Building frontages on cemetery. north and south sides of the street are not parallel or of consistent width but are angled to 6.3.1 SPATIAL TYPES vary the width of the public space and to provide varied views along the street. The Market Square maximum width of this section of West Street is around 10 metres, the minimum about 6.5 Since its foundation, Midhurst’s market square metres. has contracted to the extent that the space is 29 metres wide (north/south direction) and 53 Commercial Lanes metres long (east/west). It is defined on its north side by the perimeter wall of the parish Knockhundred Row and Red Lion Street both church, its east by the terrace with Granville have high qualities of enclosure relative to their House at its centre, its south by the terrace that width, giving them more the character of a lane includes Eagle House and its west by the than a street. Knockhundred Row is orientated eastern elevation of the Swan Inn. Within this roughly east-west. For most of its length it is of space the Town Hall is located to the southeast relatively consistent width, around 8 metres. At of centre. The parish church dominates the its eastern end it broadens into a triangular Market Square. This is particularly apparent in open space as it turns southwards through 90 views from the southwest corner of the space. degrees. This small ‘square’ has a maximum width of around 16 metres. All sides of the square are perpendicular except for the east. The buildings flanking either side Red Lion Street was created by early of the lane running east, St Ann’s Hill, are not encroachment into the original market square. aligned. 346/347 St Ann’s Hill, to its south side, The Swan Inn and Elizabeth House (Harvey’s stands forward and is angled to the southwest. Wine Shop) now provide enclosure on the east 24 side where originally there was open space.
This enclosed lane area is only 20 metres long and has a width of 5 metres. It serves as a . Lanes within the character area have counterpoint to the adjacent open spaces of markedly different characters; Sheep Church Hill and the Market Square. Lane accommodates several high
status buildings, whereas Duck Lane Residential Square has more of a back lane character.
Edinburgh Square is also a remnant of the . A few specimen trees in public areas original market square. The infill block makes are complemented by vegetation up the west elevation of the square, the east visible in private gardens. and south sides representing the southeast corner of the original market. The north side of . Pavements of historic Lower the square is left open but the west elevation Greensand contribute substantially narrows the space to create more enclosure to the character of the area. and a trapezoid shape. This narrowing at the north end of the square, where it meets the current market square, conveys a greater quality of privacy. The square is connected with
South Street via a narrow residential lane, discussed separately. 6.3.2 BUILDING CHARACTER TYPES
Residential Street There are significant numbers of buildings that are outwardly of medieval character (not Within Character Area 2, only South Street has including buildings wholly re-fronted in the a predominantly residential street character. Its Georgian period). These are concentrated at width tapers from north to south, being around the eastern end of Knockhundred Row, where it 20 metres at its northern end and 10 metres at widens to form a small triangular public space, its southern. Enclosure is only provided by at the southern end of Church Hill and on the properties on the east side of the road. The south side of that part of West Street within this west side is made up of the Spread Eagle Hotel character area. There are also three medieval and buildings and spaces ancillary to it, set buildings on the island of development to the behind a boundary wall. west side of Edinburgh Square.
Residential Lanes Apart from these prominent medieval buildings, the area’s character is largely formed by post- Duck Lane, Sheep Lane, St Ann’s Hill and the medieval and Georgian buildings. These are lane connecting Edinburgh Square with South split fairly evenly between those with shop Street are all residential town lanes. windows and those without. Most of those without shop windows are domestic or in hotel With buildings and boundary walls built to the use. back of pavements, these lanes mostly have a high degree of enclosure, although back yards There is a scattering of Victorian and and unenclosed areas provide moments of Edwardian buildings. Two of these are shops, openness and relief. Building frontages follow one being on West Street and the other on the lines of lanes of irregular width and no Church Hill. The group including 346/347 St priority is given to ensuring that buildings on Ann’s Hill is a prominent design in the Arts and opposite sides of lanes, streets or open spaces Crafts style. They have been identified as focal are parallel. Individual building frontages also buildings. The remainder are domestic houses step forwards and back relative to one another. or villas and their impact on the character of the This organic arrangement adds to the area is somewhat moderated through their liveliness, interest and attractiveness of the relatively peripheral locations. Hill Crest/Pytchley House is a robust Edwardian streetscape and contributes to its legibility. building on South Street that contributes to local character through careful architectural detailing and use of locally distinctive materials such as plaster and decorative tile hanging.
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damaged by a Luftwaffe bomb; the garages The row of low cottages on Duck Lane is an adjacent to the church and the building on the important survival and is fundamental to northeast corner of Sheep Lane are modern. conveying its character as a secondary, back The parish church is, therefore, the only lane. Although architecturally humble, their building in the character area that may, without historic significance and importance to the reservation, be considered to be principally character of the area is great. stone in its historic appearance.
There are few buildings of other character types Red brick buildings have a significant impact on and fortunately few modern buildings of no the character of the area. Numerous polite merit. Georgian buildings employ brick as their principal material, some with burnt blue 6.3.4 BUILDING MATERIALS AND headers. Gate House and Bierton House COLOURS reverse the usual relationship of red brick and burnt headers by being principally of blue Character Area 2 includes the following building headers with red used for decorative effect. materials: This expensive approach expresses their pretension to the highest level of architectural . Lime plaster status. A shop, Goldrings, on West Street has . Red brick also taken this approach on its first floor (its . Blue brick (headers) ground floor is unfortunately painted) and it . Stone (Lower Greensand) seems likely that there is a design connection . Painted brick or stone with the similarly detailed houses in Edinburgh . Half timbered Square. Goldrings was once a farmhouse, its . Tile hanging central entrance and corridor are still used with shops either side using internal doors. There are relatively few other post-Georgian buildings Half-timbered buildings are concentrated on the of brick, the red brick Victorian building at the south side of West Street (the east part within northern end of Church Hill being the most this character area), the top end of Church Hill prominent. 346/347 St Ann’s Hill employs red and Red Lion Street. brick in a balanced composition that also includes stone and tile hanging. Lime plastered elevations are clearly the most numerous in the character area and 6.3.5 BUILDING STOREY HEIGHTS predominate on the west side of Church Hill and on South Street. There is also a smaller Most buildings in this character area are of two grouping on the west side of Edinburgh Square. storeys. A number have inhabited roof spaces Painted brick and masonry buildings give the so have been shown as 2½-storeys on the impression that there are even more plastered annotated map. These are concentrated on elevations than there are. Buildings with lime Sheep Lane, the east side of the north end of plastered fronts may have rubblestone or brick Church Hill, the northern and southern ends of side and rear elevations. Lime plaster was, South Street and the south side of West Street. therefore, considered more presentable than There is a notable absence of 2½-storey rubble stone. buildings on the west side of Church Hill or in Edinburgh Square. Stone with brick detailing is the predominant material on Sheep Lane but is scarce (for front The distribution of three-storey buildings is elevations) elsewhere in the character area. interesting in that there is one on each of the The annotated plan gives something of a four sides side of the rectangle that would distorted impression of the use of stone: the originally have been the open market place. stone elevations of the Town Hall are secondary to the main, lime plastered elevation; Buildings of one storey tend to be service the stone elevations of the terrace facing west buildings and garages. An exception to this rule onto Market Square would originally have been is the terrace of 1½-storey cottages on Duck lime plastered, the building to the immediate Lane. These low status dwellings have a south of St Ann’s House on Sheep Lane had significant impact on the character of the lane Roman Cement elevations before it was
26 and its importance relative to the more public eighteenth-century townhouses (all Grade II) at areas of the character area. Gate House, Edinburgh Square; the southern building of the Spread Eagle Hotel, South 6.3.6 LANDSCAPING ELEMENTS Street; St Ann’s House, Russet House, and St Ann’s, Sheep Lane; Birdcage House/ Lyndale The majority of trees within the character area House (previously one house) and Church Hill are located in the Market Square and adjacent House, Church Hill. churchyard and cemetery. The large cedar in the parish churchyard has a strong positive Of the few that are not listed most are regarded influence on the character of the town centre. as positive contributors to the character of the The cemetery, located in a plot to the east of conservation area. the church, is overgrown with a line of yew trees and shrubs. It is a valuable space with There are four buildings which either potential to be enhanced through maintenance moderately detract from the character of the and care. The majority of other trees and area or which may be enhanced to be neutral shrubbery in this character area are located in or positive. Two garage blocks are considered private spaces but are visible and have a to substantially detract from the area’s positive impact on the streetscape. For character, those adjacent to the Church on example, the large magnolia in the garden of Sheep Lane and the ones associated with Trinity Cottage in Church Hill provides a Castle Gardens flats on Duck Lane. charming spectacle when in flower. Views from the character area to surrounding trees and 6.3.8 KEY NEGATIVE FEATURES countryside also contribute to the area’s attractiveness and setting. . Present shops and business premises are vulnerable to change of use, with potential for further 6.3.7 ASSESSMENT OF BUILDING erosion of the commercial character QUALITY of the Market Square area.
This character area is particularly remarkable . There are numerous inappropriate for the quantity of listed and positive buildings repairs and reinstatements to historic and the consistency of historic street paving surfaces, gradually eroding elevations. Most buildings are listed. the historic character of the area.
There are 43 listed buildings, or groups of . Street furniture lacks consistency, buildings, (two Grade II*; and 41 Grade II) of some is of poor quality and line which one is thirteenth century, four are painting on roads is excessive and sixteenth century, 11 are seventeenth century, obtrusive. The surface to Market 20 are eighteenth century and seven date from Square is in a poor state. 1800-40. Of these, several are especially noteworthy. The church (Grade II*) dates from . Car parking dominates the Market the thirteenth century. Good examples of mid- Square and the middle of Church Hill sixteenth-century exposed timber framing are found at the Spread Eagle Hotel (Grade II*) and . Large dustbins for the Swan Inn at its detached annexe. Examples of exposed detract from appearance. timber framing of seventeenth century date survive at 3 and 4 Knockhundred Row; . Garages on west side of Sheep Jefferson’s and Blackiston House, West Street; Lane, adjacent to the Church. and Elizabeth House, Market Square (all Grade II). There are several examples of substantial
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The part of West Street that lies between Duck . Castle Gardens flats on Duck Lane Lane in the east and the roundabout in the west and their associated garages have a within Character Area 3 is oriented roughly poor relationship to the characteristic east-west. There is a deflection northwards building patterns of the area and so corresponding to the position of Blackiston have a negative influence. House (Kiss Chase and Jefferson’s Butcher’s) on the south side. The frontage on the north . Stone House on Wool Lane has side between Wool Lane and Duck Lane also service access to its rear via Duck stands forward of the blocks to east and west. Lane. The absence of a boundary When viewed from the west end of West Street, wall and the tarmac parking area has this gives prominence to the Bricklayers Arms a negative influence and provides on the left and Blackiston House on the right, inadequate enclosure to the lane. which together largely foreclose the view up the street towards the Market Square. This not only . Duck Lane’s enclosure is also adds to the prominence of these buildings but compromised by the large open also contributes to the picturesque quality of the parking courtyard at its northeast street. Similarly, when West Street is corner. approached from the east, the building on the corner of Duck Lane (Prezzo) obtains . The use of uPVC for some windows prominence. The kink at the middle section of and doors the road brings the shops on the south side of the street into view. Such variation in the . The modern infill building on West positioning of building frontages and in street Street, occupied by a greengrocer’s line may be interpreted as devices to raise the (Top Crop), is at odds with most of exposure of commercial premises. the street and visually disrupts views along it. The width of the street varies from a minimum of 6 metres (between Prezzo and Jeffersons) to
a maximum of 11 metres at its western end.
Rumbold’s Hill (between June Lane and the 6.4 CHARACTER AREA 3 mini-roundabout, Hamlyn’s Corner) lies within EARLY TOWN EXPANSION this character area and constitutes a commercial street. Its character, however, is Character Area 3 lies west and southwest of markedly different to that of West Street. It is Character Area 2. It includes parts of the early oriented in a roughly north-south direction. Its expansion of the original town. Today the area northern part, between the Wheatsheaf Public combines shops and houses, forming the House and Knockhundred Row is essentially a southern part of the commercial centre of the narrower projection of North Street and feels modern town. The character area also contains like a precursor to that wider commercial space. the site of the former grange of the Knights However, at the junction with Wool Lane, Hospitallers, located south of West Street, and Rumbold’s Hill widens from 11 metres to 19 historically known as the Liberty of St John. The metres and adopts the character of a public former grange is now largely occupied by a open space, like a small town square. The leisure centre and car park but was also the Wheatsheaf encloses the space to its north location for the civic facilities of the Post Office side, NatWest Bank on its west and terraced (disused), Court House (disused) and the commercial properties to its east. telephone exchange. Rumbold’s Hill narrows to 5.5 metres between the Wheatsheaf and NatWest Bank, widening 6.4.1 SPATIAL TYPES to around 8 metres for the rest of its length. It is difficult to consider the character of this portion The following spatial types are present in the of the street independently of the traffic that character area: dominates it. With moderate traffic levels it would be a typical retail street but it is quite Commercial street oppressive when subjected to the burden of the
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A272. The narrow section creates a bottleneck two modest storeys with a steeply pitched tiled that compounds the problem. roof. Its scale and historic character creates a link with the adjacent 1½ storey residential The junction of Rumbold’s Hill, West Street, buildings on Bepton Road and the more Bepton Road and Petersfield Road marks a commercial ones on West Street. Its character principal boundary to the historic core. The core is diminished by elements of modernisation, is accessed via Rumbold’s Hill and West Street, such as the insertion of large showroom with Bepton Road and Petersfield Road leading windows. The character of the conservation to residential suburbs of later date. area and appearance of this intersection would be enhanced if this building could be ultimately On the northeast corner (Bepton Road/West restored to something closer to its historic Street) stands a relatively imposing Victorian appearance. structure (two storeys plus attic) with strong corner emphasis. This achieves some success Residential street in communicating the higher status of the two roads it addresses. Its potential to act as a Grange Road is the only part of Character Area gateway, announcing the entrance to the town 3 with characteristics of a residential street. It is centre is, however, diminished by its singularity; an unusual hybrid with suburban villa-type neither the building on the northwest corner properties on its north side and civic buildings (Petersfield Road/Rumbold’s Hill) nor the on its south. Viewed from its west end, Grange southeast corner (West Street/Bepton Road) Road is an attractive public space. The have sufficient scale or massing to balance it. distance between buildings on its north and south sides is large at around 19 metres and The character of the building on the northwest the space to the north of the Post Office and corner of the junction is reminiscent of a mid- Court buildings has something of the character twentieth century suburban house; it was of a town square. St John’s Cottage and a tree previously a public house. A pair of gables on its south side close the east end of the faces the junction with a recessed central space. section containing a pair of entrance doors. This building type somewhat confuses the Two pairs of handsome Edwardian villas hierarchy of the junction, which would benefit dominate the north side of the space. They are from a structure which more clearly identifiably Cowdray houses with dark green communicates the entrance to the historic core. and cream paintwork. Apart from their architecture, they make a valuable contribution Russell House, at the corner of Petersfield to the street through their boundary treatments Road and Bepton Road, is wholly inappropriate and well-kept front gardens. The building fronts to this site in its massing and architectural detail are set back from their front boundaries and the and has a significant negative impact on the garden space introduces some welcome quality of the space and the character of the greenery into the streetscape. Viewed from the conservation area. Its chamfered side weakens west end, these villas relate to the the corner and gives precedence to the mini- contemporary detached house, St John’s roundabout. The building replaced the bombed Cottage, at the east end of the street. Congregational Temple (built in 1907), which made a strong statement on this prominent site The quality and attractiveness of the north side and presented a formal elevation when viewed of Grange Road compensates for its rather from West Street. When an opportunity austere municipal south side. The Post Office eventually emerges to redevelop Russell building makes a positive contribution to the House, the massing of the Temple might serve space and presents a formal elevation when as a useful precedent in terms of providing a viewed from the intersection of Grange Road formal elevation to terminate the view up West and West Street. It is unfortunate that a brown Street. brick, rather than local red, was used in its construction but its appearance could easily be Insert picture from Changing Midhurst – subject improved by painting the window and door to copyright joinery in a light colour.
Of the buildings surrounding the junction, that The Old Courthouse is located at the middle of on the southeast corner is the lowest, being of the south side of Grange Road and is
29 separated from the Post Office and the building Although open, rather than an area of to its west by access lanes to the Grange streetscape, the historic significance, proximity Centre and car park. It is a good example of its to the town centre and relationship to the South type but the utilitarian appearance of its modern Pond area give Character Area 3, to the south extension detracts from the original building of Grange Road, significant qualities which and its setting. should be appreciated and protected. Of fundamental importance are views from the north towards the green space of South Pond in Residential town lanes the middle distance and longer views to the wooded countryside to the south. From the Duck Lane and Wool Lane are similar to one south side of the space, key views towards the another in one respect, being oriented roughly historic town and its setting amidst trees are of north-south for their main part. Wool Lane importance. The belt of trees to the north side widens from 5.5 metres at its northern end to 9 of South Pond is of value in enclosing the metres at its southern. The jettied upper floors public space and serving as a partial filter to the of buildings on the east side of the north end of development beyond. the lane and a slight rise in level create a deceptive impression that the lane narrows considerably. Duck Lane is less regular and 6.4.2 KEY CHARACTERISTICS varies from a minimum of 3 metres (at the Pintails section at its northern end) to a maximum of 9 metres by the Castle Gardens . Despite being blighted by poor modern flats. buildings, the Grange area has retained its original open character (from when it Wool Lane is characterised by a high degree of was farmed by the Knights Hospitallers) enclosure with buildings built at the back of and views to South Pond and the pavements and few breaks in the street greenery around the stream. elevations. Of only three breaks in the building line, two are closed, by a high wall and hedge . The dominant characteristic of the area is to maintain the high degree of enclosure. Only of a dense, medieval urban environment at the rear of the Wheatsheaf Public House is largely occupied by commercial premises, there a real break in the street elevation. typified by West Street and Rumbold’s Hill
Duck Lane, a back lane, much less enclosed, . Wool Lane retains its medieval residential has been addressed under Character Area 2 character, with small building plots and a with the exception of Pintails at its northern high degree of enclosure. end. This part of the lane is so narrow that it has the character of an alleyway rather than a . Duck Lane has maintained a service lane. There is no room for pavements and the industrial character. In serving the backs sides of buildings facing Rumbold’s Hill and of properties in the original planned town their boundary walls dominate the space. to the east and then the backs of plots facing to the west it probably always had At the corner of Duck Lane and Pintails, the a ‘backland’ character. Removal of east elevation of the street opens up as a boundary features and inappropriate parking forecourt. Although useful, it is modern development (e.g. Castle unfortunate that the buildings originally Gardens flats) has weakened this occupying this site were removed, as there is a character but it still can be discerned. loss of the street’s strong and characteristic sense of enclosure. Qualities of enclosure have . Grange Road has the character of an also been eroded with the removal of boundary early twentieth century extension outside features to the rear of buildings on Wool Lane the historic core, with villas and municipal that are accessed from Duck Lane. buildings.
Park side
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Hill, north of the crossroads, with a modern 6.4.3 BUILDING CHARACTER TYPES neo-traditional building between. These Edwardian buildings have a half-timbered The character area has a mix of building types appearance and are built with gables facing the although together Georgian or Regency streets, perhaps a reference to medieval domestic and commercial buildings are most buildings such as the Spread Eagle Hotel. This numerous. There are concentrations of these building form is not characteristic of Midhurst, two types on the north side of West Street, at which mainly has buildings with eaves facing the middle of the narrow part of Rumbold’s Hill the principal streets. Gable elements are rarely and to the north end of the character area (on so strongly emphasised. These half-timbered Rumbold’s Hill). The latter frame the east and buildings create an unfortunate impression of west sides of a small triangular public space; pastiche at the entrance to the town. The the Victorian or Edwardian fronts of the Victorian buildings are of better architectural Wheatsheaf pub and NatWest Bank close the quality and enhance the character of the area. south side of this small public space. The final group of Victorian/Edwardian buildings There are significant groups of medieval is at the middle section of West Street and buildings on the north side of the eastern part south to Grange Road. Like those discussed and on the south side of the west end of West above, the ones on West Street, to the west Street. There is also a group at the northern side of the junction with Grange Road, are an end and middle of Wool Lane, which has a interpretation of medieval, timber framed valuable mix of largely residential medieval and buildings. The Edwardian and Victorian Georgian building types. Most buildings on the buildings to the east side of the junction are of lane are relatively small and of humble status, a better quality. They break with Midhurst’s large double-fronted Victorian house being the dominant building patterns but add to the exception. variety and interest of the streetscape and relate well to the more typical Georgian shop to The north side of West Street is significant for their east. Grange Road has the characteristics its mix of medieval and Georgian buildings. of an Edwardian town extension, incorporating Together, the group of buildings is of great only villa properties and civic buildings. The importance in representing Midhurst’s local buildings are of sufficiently good quality to building characteristics and heritage. contribute positively to the character area.
Duck Lane has characteristics of a back lane, Most of the modern buildings within the providing access to the backs of properties, and character area lack the architectural quality or has an inconsistent, broken, street elevation. It local distinctiveness to make a positive accommodates workshops that give it a contribution. The modern building at the residual industrial character. This ‘back lane’ southwest corner of the crossroads junction, character is important but, with changing Russell House, is the worst by virtue of its poor access requirements, needs careful handling so design and prominent location. The building to as to maintain the quality and enclosure of the its north has a domestic character that does not public realm. suit this setting. The pair of neo-traditional houses on the west side of Rumbold’s Hill There are two rows of cottages, one on Bepton almost achieves local distinctiveness but they Road and the other on Duck Lane. Although are let down by poor detailing and an relatively low status buildings, they are uncharacteristic set-back from the road. The important in conveying the historic character of large Grange leisure centre building is very parts of the area, indicating that these were poor but destined for demolition. It is hoped that relatively low value and peripheral to the main its replacement will have a more positive town activity. influence on the conservation area. The telephone exchange and extension to the There are three main groups of Victorian or courthouse also have negative impacts but Edwardian buildings. Those identified as key these are reduced through their relatively buildings at the northern end of Rumbold’s Hill peripheral location. have an important influence on the character of the small triangular open space. There is also a concentration at the southern end of Rumbold’s
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6.4.4 BUILDING MATERIALS AND A significant proportion of buildings have brick COLOURS ground floors with contrasting materials for upper storeys, either half-timbered or lime Building materials within Character Area 3 plastered. These are all Edwardian properties conform to the following palette: and this is not considered a truly local feature although the villas on Grange Road are of good quality and contribute positively to character. . Red brick
. Lime plaster The strongest concentration of brick buildings is . Blue brick (headers) found on the Grange site, in relation to . Stone (Lower Greensand) buildings which detract from the character of . Painted brick, stone or hanging tiles the area (the leisure centre, telephone . Half timbered exchange and extension to the court building) . Timber weatherboarding The post office building is built of brown bricks . Tile hanging with limestone dressings.
The majority of half-timbered medieval Lime plaster is the predominant facing material, buildings and mock half-timbered Edwardian closely followed by red brick. Lime plaster is buildings are painted with jet-black timbers and used on buildings of every status and type, brilliant white infill panels. This ‘magpie’ colour from workshops on Duck Lane to the formal scheme was not characteristic of Sussex but is (former) Egmont Public House on Rumbold’s more a Midlands tradition. It has also spread to Hill, now known as Rumbold’s Mews. Buildings buildings that have no half-timbering. The faced in this material are quite evenly overall effect is a little harsh and detracts from distributed. It is common for two or more the interest and authenticity of the conservation buildings in a row to be similarly faced. Three area. buildings have lime plastered ground floors with half-timbered first floors with lime plastered infill There is a pair of medieval buildings at the panels. The Wool Lane elevation of the northern end of Wool Lane with tile hanging to Wheatsheaf is medieval, the other examples their first floor and another at the middle of are Edwardian. The latter constitute pastiche. Wool Lane. These buildings are very important to the significance of the character area. The There are a significant number of buildings that tile hanging to the Grange leisure centre and are of painted brick, stone or painted hanging modern building at the southwest corner of the tile. When viewed in the street scene, the brick crossroads, Russell House, bears no and stone facings superficially appear to be comparison to these historic precedents and lime plastered. Buildings with lime plastered has a negative impact on the conservation elevations or which are of painted brick, stone area. or hanging tile are often painted in ‘brilliant white’, which is a stark modern paint and A number of buildings are built of local stone, clashes with the historic architecture and some of which are painted. Undressed rubble character of the conservation area. stone was not a material of status (until the twentieth century) and was used to construct The longest stretch of brick buildings is on the boundary walls, ancillary buildings and west side of the northern part of Rumbold’s Hill. cottages. There is a concentration at the middle Two-thirds of the brick buildings are decorated of Wool Lane; otherwise stone buildings are with blue headers in Flemish bond. Significant quite evenly distributed. The most significant numbers of the brick buildings are in pairs and stone building is the nineteenth century, former flanked by buildings of contrasting materials. Roman Catholic church on the east side of Within this character area, only the west side of Rumbold’s Hill. Duck Lane is without any brick houses. This perhaps relates to its service/industrial There are two buildings with timber character. There are several instances of red weatherboarding, both modern and on Duck brick being used to detail predominantly stone Lane. They appear appropriate to the service buildings. There are two instances of stone character of this lane. used to detail predominantly brick buildings.
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6.4.5 BUILDING STOREY HEIGHTS 6.4.6 LANDSCAPING ELEMENTS
By far the most common building height is two Character Area 3 has a dense urban grain with storeys. However, this does not imply that few opportunities for trees and shrubbery. The buildings are of regular heights or that eaves or more open environment of the Grange, roof heights are consistent. On West Street, for however, provides valuable views to the belt of example, the eaves height of adjacent two trees and greenery to the south, by South Pond storey buildings differs by 26 courses, and along the course of the stream. approximately 2 metres. Variety in building heights is an important characteristic of the character area. The varied roofscape and 6.4.7 ASSESSMENT OF BUILDING appearance of end walls is important in views QUALITY down streets. At the time of preparing this appraisal, there Most buildings are positioned with eaves were nineteen listed buildings, or groups of parallel with the street line. Some buildings, buildings (all Grade II). Of seven buildings or mainly Victorian and Edwardian, have eaves building groups then identified as being of perpendicular to this and present their gables to potentially Listable quality, six have the street. This emphasises the vertical subsequently been listed. There are a further dimension and creates the impression of a nineteen buildings which are not of Listable much taller building, which can feel quality but which make a positive contribution to overbearing. This is especially the case in the character area. Only four buildings have relation to the Edwardian buildings at the been identified which are substantially neutral southern end of Rumbold’s Hill. in terms of the area’s character. Nine buildings are considered to have a mild negative Most of the single storey buildings in the influence. These are concentrated at the character area are of ancillary or service southern end of Rumbold’s Hill and the west character. The main exception is the single end of West Street and are mainly half- storey court building on Grange Road. timbered Edwardian buildings. Repainting in Edwardian colour schemes, rather than the The terrace of post-medieval cottages on the clichéd black and white, could easily enhance north end of Bepton Road is one storey tall with them. Five buildings have been identified as an attic. This conveys a strong historic having a significantly negative influence on the character at this prominent location. area’s character, located at the main crossroads and the Grange site. The The only significant three-storey building in this redevelopment of the Grange leisure centre has area is the Edwardian structure at the eastern the potential to enhance the area if carefully corner of West Street and Grange Road. Its handled. Opportunities to improve Russell third floor is expressed as an attic storey to House, the Court building and the telephone reduce its effect of dominating the space. exchange should be taken when development Although the multiple gable detail is not a opportunities arise. characteristic building form, the character area has an identity and consistency strong enough to assimilate such one-off exceptions. 6.4.8 KEY NEGATIVE FEATURES
Within this character area, building height is . The Grange leisure centre and only seldom used to give expression to key telephone exchange have a negative buildings. The Post Office and the Edwardian impact on the character of the area, as building at the northeast corner of the main has the associated unbroken expanse crossroads (mini-roundabout) are exceptions to of car parking. this rule but both are relative newcomers. The Wheatsheaf Public House is noteworthy for . Midhurst Barber’s Shop is a negative being a fairly low building for a prominent building, being a poorly conceived location, only using an end gable and extension to 7 Rumbold’s Hill. chimneystack to command attention.
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. The medieval building at the corner . There is some surviving traditional of Bepton Road and West Street has paving in Wool Lane and in front of the large showroom windows that detract Wheatsheaf Public House but this is from its historic appearance and being eroded through insensitive weaken the building’s ability to repairs. provide sufficient emphasis at the corner. . Municipal street furniture, excessive street painting, signage, concrete . The Post Office building has window paving slabs and kerbs, damage to frames stained a dark colour. pavements and kerbs all detract from the area’s historic character. . In general, window frames painted in dark colours or stained timber, such . Rumbold’s Hill is dominated by as Violet Designs and Mane Street, vehicular traffic, which makes it an have a negative impact. unpleasant environment for pedestrians and reduces its . The Court Building has an extensive commercial vibrancy. single storey utilitarian extension to its sides and rear. . Russell House at the southwest corner of the main crossroads has a . The west side of Duck Lane has particularly negative impact on views suffered through the loss of boundary westwards from within West Street. elements. Its character is informed by its function of providing access . The brick shop front to ‘Graham and garaging to the backs of Standing Domestic Appliances’ on properties and his ‘back lane’ quality Rumbold’s Hill is inappropriate to a should be preserved. However, the painted stone building. areas of hard standing used for parking are unattractive and detract . The former Roman Catholic Church from the street’s appearance. on Rumbold’s Hill has been damaged through the removal of original . The range of garages to Castle windows and insertion of horizontally Gardens flats is unattractive and aligned window openings. provides little enclosure to the street. . Neo-traditional semi-detached houses . Some half-timbered Edwardian (1 & 2 Egmont Mews) on Rumbold’s buildings make only superficial Hill do not follow the traditional reference to Midhurst’s historic building pattern in their set back or building traditions and give an architectural detail. impression of pastiche, exacerbated by the cliché of being painted in . The Carpet Shop at the southern end black and white. of Rumbold’s Hill is not in keeping with the local building tradition. Its attic storey is particularly jarring.
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Angel Hotel dominates the east side and The Clockhouse and Rosemary’s Parlour the west.
6.5 CHARACTER AREA 4 Apart from the supermarket, the commercial NORTH STREET – UPPER part of North Street has remained free from modern infill development. New housing
development is restricted to Cowdray Court, Character Area 4 comprises that part of North Angel Yard, Northgate Mews and Rosemary’s Street south of the car park and Capron House, Courtyard. together with the adjacent parts of
Knockhundred Row and Lamberts Lane. The Between Capron House and the old Grammar area developed piecemeal as a linear extension School is the Victorian extension to the original of the town, probably from the late thirteenth or school. Giving continuity to the frontage, it is a early fourteenth century. Today the area striking building erected in 1882 to replace an comprises the main shopping area of Midhurst. earlier building destroyed by fire. It has a wealth The spatial quality of North Street is of a broad, of detail in fine stone and brickwork which market street. This quality is more apparent in contributes greatly to the character and historic photographs taken before the appearance of this part of North Street. The dominance of vehicular traffic. Lamberts Lane forecourt is unusual in being paved in limestone was an early industrial area where noxious cobbles. trades such as dyeing and tanning were kept away from residents in the Old Town. Service/Residential Lane Knockhundred Row was known as Wildes Hill until about 1640 and retains its character as a The side elevation of The Clockhouse on the link between the main north-south route and the north side of Lambert’s Lane and the service original settlement. yard of Whithorne House on its southern side
give this end of the lane a service/industrial 6.5.1 SPATIAL TYPES character. The road bends to the north and
views are foreclosed by a group of trees. The The character area contains the following low boundary wall between the lane and yard spatial types: diminishes the enclosure of the space on its
southern side. A higher boundary wall may Broad Street help. Beyond the backs of buildings fronting
North Street, Lambert’s Lane opens up into a The part of North Street that corresponds to a residential street. It has an edge-of-town quality broad street type is 200 metres long and with open countryside at close quarters to the around 18 metres wide. When viewed from the west. Countryside views and the town edge north, it has the character of an enclosed urban character have been diminished by new space, closed on its east by The Old Surgery housing on the west side of the lane. The east on the corner of Knockhundred Row and side of the lane is clearly defined by a high terminated towards the top of the hill by the stone boundary wall that divides the public more distant view of the Wheatsheaf Public space of the street from the backs and sides of House. Superficially, The Old Surgery looks like residential properties. another half-timbered Edwardian building with its gables facing northwards to North Street but Commercial Lane it is a re-fronted post-medieval structure.
Knockhundred Row is accessed via the Seen from its elevated southern end, the north southwest corner of North Street. It contrasts end of the street is closed by a view of trees with North Street through the considerable and more distant wooded countryside of the height of enclosing buildings relative to its greensand ridge. narrow width. It is 7.5 metres wide at its
western end, narrowing to 6 metres before The broad street is reminiscent of places like widening again into a small triangular public Marlborough High Street but lacks strong space outside the library. The lane gives little architectural expressions to terminate either indication that it leads directly into the historic end of the space. Consequently, North Street core of the town, as it turns through 90 degrees lacks some degree of enclosure and before entering Church Hill. orientation. The imposing eighteenth century 35
6.5.3 BUILDING CHARACTER TYPES Commercial Street North Street retains at least six medieval (some At the southern end of North Street, the space may be post-medieval) buildings, two of which narrows to the width of a more typical are currently unlisted. Four of these are on the commercial street and feels like an annexe to east side and are quite evenly distributed. Café the principal space. Here, it is around 9 metres Verdi, 72 North Street has been identified as a wide and is spatially indivisible from the part of medieval building although it was re-fronted in Rumbold’s Hill that is terminated by the the early twentieth century. On the west side, Wheatsheaf Public House. The angled the medieval buildings are separated at either buildings at the corner with June Lane suggest end of the street, perhaps indicating more a minor public square but the scale and form of intense development pressure within the these buildings is insufficient to command the street’s central section. space. Character Area 4 is, however, predominantly Rural Lane Georgian in its building types and character. This character has been enhanced by the re- The east end of June Lane falls within fronting of earlier buildings such as Nos. 65 and Character Area 4. The listed 413/416 65A, Iron Gates Cottages and Tudor View. The Rumbold’s Hill present a formally composed, grouping of three large Georgian buildings at but secondary side elevation to June Lane. The the middle of North Street assert a strong transition between the urban environment at the influence on its character, commanding the building’s front to the rural character of the lane space and emphasising importance. These key is reflected by this building’s transition from a buildings are the Angel Hotel on the east side formal front to a lean-to extension and stone and The Clockhouse and Rosemary’s Parlour boundary wall at the rear. Beyond this, on the west. The part of Knockhundred Row properties addressing the lane are sufficiently that lies within this character area is also widely spaced and set back from the road to predominantly Georgian in character. enable trees and greenery to dominate and its rural character is expressed. The transition Victorian and Edwardian buildings and building from urban front to rural lane is expressed less fronts also assert some influence on the eloquently on the road’s north side. The neo- character area, particularly due to older traditional building facing the small triangular buildings remodelled during this period. open space on Rumbold’s Hill leaves a triangular space between its side and the The Old Surgery, which terminates the south enclosing boundary wall. The remaining space end of North Street, and Castle View (10 North is laid to gravel and gives an impression of an Street) both look like early twentieth century unresolved gap. The rural character of the mock-timber framed buildings painted in the street and the appearance of the buildings on clichéd black and white colour scheme. The Old its north side could be improved by planting Surgery is, however, genuinely post-medieval shrubbery or trees in this area. Incisions into and would benefit from sympathetic restoration. the hollow way bank to the north side of the Both black and white colour schemes conflict road to provide parking are unfortunate and with local building characteristics and detract detract from its considerable historic from the area. Both could be enhanced through significance and character. repainting in colours that reflect their authentic architectural heritage. 6.5.2 KEY CHARACTERISTICS There are three significant modern buildings in the area, all of which have substantial negative . The trading street of North Street is impacts. The group of single storey buildings at the dominant spatial type. the southern end of North Street fortunately
have substantial redevelopment potential and Routes branching off North Street to . could be replaced by buildings of 2½ storeys, the west have rural lane like those adjacent. However, 7 North Street, characteristics. Knockhundred Row, to which accommodates Tesco Metro, is more the east, is urban with high enclosure. problematic as it already assumes its maximum storey height. A more appropriate building
36 might be built as a condition of redeveloping the so it would have been more in keeping with the single storey area at its rear to a greater height. character of the rest of the street.
Most modern neo-traditional buildings are The two large Victorian buildings to the south of located in backland areas where their impact on the west side of North Street are brick but have the character of the area is reduced. The tile hanging to their gable ends. exception to this is at the area’s southern boundary, where modern buildings stand on Compared with North Street, the part of either side of Rumbold’s Hill. MG House is Rumbold’s Hill within this character area is particularly poor. Its negative impact could be more mixed, largely due to quite modern somewhat reduced if its walls were entirely interventions. painted in a light colour (not brilliant white) and if its windows could be fitted with 6-over-6 pane Knockhundred Row has two stone buildings on sliding sashes. its south side that assert a strong character over the lane. They have a residential 6.5.4 BUILDING MATERIALS AND character, enhanced by the stone perimeter COLOURS wall between them and the planting behind. At first glance, the north side of Knockhundred The following materials palette exists in Row appears to be wholly lime plastered but on Character Area 4: closer inspection includes painted stone and painted brick at its middle. . Red brick . Lime plaster The predominant material for buildings on . Blue brick (headers) Lambert’s Lane is stone with brick details. . Stone (Lower Greensand, Ironstone) Uniquely, Lassiter’s Cottage is built of ironstone . Painted brick or stone with red brick and blue headers for details. . Half timbered . Timber weatherboarding As a general rule, buildings that employ a . Tile hanging diversity of materials, particularly using different materials for different floors, create a less formal architectural quality than those that The main material for building fronts on the east adhere to a stricter palette. side of North Street is lime plaster; these are concentrated towards the middle of the street. Building elevations that express a timber- The main exceptions to this rule are the listed framed aesthetic on their front elevation largely medieval building to the immediate north of the date from the late nineteenth or early twentieth Angel Hotel and Café Verdi, 72 North Street, century, here. Genuine medieval timber frame which both have early twentieth century fronts. buildings have invariably been re-fronted. Barclays Bank applied stone ground floor and window surrounds when it acquired the building 6.5.5 BUILDING STOREY HEIGHTS around 1909. Historic photos show a less decorated lime plastered elevation. The majority of buildings in the character area are of two storeys. The main concentrations of The predominant material at the north end two storey buildings are at the north end of North Street is local stone with brick detailing. North Street and Knockhundred Row. The mock half-timbered 10 North Street (Stockley Trading) is the exception. On the There are a significant number of 2½ storey west side of the street there is a stone fronted buildings on North Street and Rumbold’s Hill. medieval building that has been painted white. The concentration at the south end of North Street and north end of Rumbold’s Hill are Brick is the predominant material used for mainly of Victorian or more recent construction. buildings fronting the west side of North Street. A notable exception is Whithorne House, which There is a concentration of 2½ and 3 storey has a painted ground floor and half-timbered buildings towards the middle of North Street, first floor with terracotta decorative panels. largely of Georgian date. This represents the Historic photos show that this building part of the street of highest status. There is also previously had a continuous brick ground floor a concentration of taller buildings at the junction
37 of North Street with Knockhundred Row, Knockhundred Row, is a good example of a representing a secondary focal point. stucco-fronted building from the eighteenth century. There are a number of single storey buildings, with a cluster at the north end of Rumbold’s Hill. Listed buildings are distributed quite evenly These are incongruous and represent a over the character area. However, there is a development opportunity. Some single storey conspicuous gap on the west side of the south buildings also exist that are ancillary to a end of North Street. This appears unfounded principal building. Those to Iron Gates Cottage and a terrace of four large buildings, some of and 141 Lambert’s Lane are examples that which appear to be Victorian remodellings of contribute to the character of their principal Georgian properties, are considered of Listable building and their settings. quality. The north elevation of 15 North Street shows it to be a timber-framed building, The single storey structure to the rear of Tesco probably of seventeenth century date. On (7 North Street) may represent a development Lambert’s Lane, two residential properties are opportunity to enable the creation of a more considered of notable quality, a good example appropriate front elevation onto North Street. of a Victorian villa in Cowdray colours and the unusual Lassiter’s Cottage. There are a number There are relatively more tall buildings on the of historic shopfronts in this area that are west side of North Street with more 2-storey important to its historic character; Boots and buildings on the east. Combined with Between the Lines being good examples. contrasting building materials, this gives the two sides of the street distinct characters. The west A few buildings have been identified as strongly side appears more emphatically urban, with positive but perhaps are not of sufficient age or large Georgian and Victorian buildings, quality to be Listed. Thomond House and whereas the east side is more rustic in scale Packham’s (Liphook Valet Services and with a greater survival of medieval buildings. Fraser’s) on the east side of North Street are of high townscape quality. Lintott And Son on Rumbold’s Hill is a rare example of a Victorian 6.5.6 ASSESSMENT OF BUILDING building that responds to the local building QUALITY tradition through its use of coursed local stone.
There are twenty-three listed buildings, or Some neutral buildings have been identified. groups of buildings, (all Grade II) of which two These are confined to neo-traditional buildings are sixteenth century, ten are seventeenth that fall short of achieving full integration with century, six are eighteenth century, and five local building patterns. date from 1800-40. The building immediately north of the Angel Hotel on the east side of Three buildings moderately detract from the North Street, Ye Olde Tea Shoppe and the character of this area. These (on June Lane, Tuck Shop, is a two storey timber-framed Rumbold’s Hill and Lambert’s Lane) are building of probable mid to late sixteenth- modern, neo-traditional buildings that fail to century date. It is of three bays, with a properly reflect local characteristics. continuous jetty, and has historic wall paintings. Five buildings substantially detract from the To the south of the Angel Hotel, the house character of the area, by far the worst building known as Tudor View also dates from the that which accommodates Tesco. second half of the sixteenth century, and has exposed close-studded timber framing along its northern elevation. The Angel Hotel itself is a timber-framed building dating from the seventeenth century, but has an eighteenth- century eight-bay façade of three storeys, with a carriage arch and rusticated ground floor. The Clockhouse, North Street, is a substantial late eighteenth-century house, with a brick façade with two first-floor Venetian windows and a two- storey five-sided canted bay window faced in mathematical tiles. Knockhundred House,
38
6.5.7 KEY NEGATIVE FEATURES
. Single storey buildings by the junction . The neo-traditional building facing the of North Street and Knockhundred small triangular open space on Row are of poor quality. Rumbold’s Hill leaves an open triangular space between its side and . The volume of traffic and parked cars the enclosing boundary wall. The on North Street has a negative impact remaining space is laid to gravel and on appearance and amenity for gives an impression of a gap. pedestrians.
. There are several buildings with late . North Street suffers from damage to nineteenth or early twentieth century historic paving surfaces and their fronts of limited architectural quality, repair with inappropriate materials. some of which conceal historic fabric behind. . The building occupied by Tesco at 7 North Street has a strong negative . Castle View (10 North Street) is an impact on the historic character of this unremarkable Edwardian building that area; it replaced a Victorian Public is out of place in a historically Hall. sensitive part of North Street. . Rico’s Café, The Tuck Shop and Ye . MG House is a modern building on Olde Tea Shoppe all have Dutch style Rumbold’s Hill that is confused in its shop canopies which are incompatible architectural form and use of with the historic environment. materials. It has sought to make reference to local building traditions . Valet Dry Cleaners has an ugly, dated and materials but with little success. shopfront that conflicts with the character of the area. . Several modern buildings employ a diversity of materials in striving to . A number of shops have acetate achieve contextual sensitivity but fascias which detract from the exercise too little restraint. appearance of the street.
. Whithorne House, next to Tesco, has been damaged through the removal of the original ground floor elevation and insertion of a large glazed shopfront.
. The appearance of York House, the . Knockhundred Market occupies the three-storey building on the north side shell of timber framed buildings with of Knockhundred Row, has been an uncomfortable mix of original and diminished through the replacement of new fabric. Its entrance does not original windows with uPVC bays reflect local building characteristics. which have a substantially negative
impact on the building and the street scene.
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6.6 CHARACTER AREA 5 Church is also visible above roofs. The NORTH STREET - LOWER negative impact of the car park on North Street and the Cowdray water meadows is only Character Area 5 comprises that part of North partially mitigated by a screen of trees to its Street extending northwards from the car park north and east sides. The appearance and and Capron House. This area continues the environmental quality of the car park might be linear progression northwards into farmland that improved by the planting of trees within the had Whiphill to the west and fields rented from space. the Cowdray estate on the east. An isolated grouping of cottages on either side of the north Capron House asserts a strong influence over end of North Street, near the mill, has been the character of this area. It serves to mark the demolished. Lambert’s Lane (south) retains end of the main commercial street and much of its agricultural character but the grand prominently defines the entrance to the town ceremonial entrance to Cowdray that centre. Its formal elevation faces Cowdray and dominated this area from the 1530s to the helps to link the town with the distant ruined 1960s has been destroyed. house. In being set back from the road and with a Purbeck stone forecourt, the northward Today the area combines public uses (the car extension to Capron House provides a degree park, the grammar school building, and the of openness that is unfortunately diminished by Methodist church) and residential use. passing traffic on the busy road.
6.6.1 SPATIAL TYPES Beyond Capron House and the Grammar School buildings, North Street adopts a quite The following spatial types have been identified different character. North of Capron House in Character Area 5: stands a building group with something of a village feel. Three listed buildings address the street. The southernmost of these, 134 - 135 Town fringe street North Street, was formerly a pair of cottages and stands directly at back of pavement. Those This part of North Street is strongly influenced to the north, Ognells Flats (almshouses) and by the presence of Cowdray ruins to the east, Borough House have larger set-backs of views of the estate itself and the presence of around 4 metres and so convey a less trees and shrubbery on the east side of the sophisticated character. Between these two street. There is only one building on the east groups of buildings is Midhurst Methodist side of North Street within the southern part of Church, an Edwardian building of imposing this character area, the modern Chichester character, and a collection of three modern District Council office and Tourist Information houses. Two of these are sufficiently set back Centre. This building is poorly sited and, its from the road as to have no significant impact corner tower in particular, detracts substantially on the area’s character. The one prominent from a part of Midhurst of great townscape and modern building maintains the character of this heritage value. It mars the entrance to the town area of the street through its position in its and also detracts from the causeway approach spacious plot and villa style. to Cowdray. Similarly, the location of the bus stands at one of Midhurst’s most sensitive Between this building group and North Mill locations is damaging. there are no other buildings. A boundary wall and line of small trees previously maintained To the rear of the tourist information office is the rural, enclosed quality of the street. This North Street Car Park, accessed from a mini- was recently destroyed through the roundabout on North Street and passing behind construction of a new entrance serving the bus stand by way of a heavily engineered Midhurst Academy. Its predecessor was visible service road. The car park occupies a roughly in glimpses but was largely screened by the triangular site that truncates the former plots on shrubbery. The new school will be far more North Street to its south. This is a historic prominent and have a marked impact on the feature and appears on the Tithe Map of 1846. character of this part of the conservation area. Views of the backs of properties on North Street from the car park are important to the Cowdray watermeadows and ruins can be seen character of the area. The spire of the Parish to the southeast but trees and other vegetation
40 are of greater importance in defining this part of Carpenter’s, Whiphill Farm House, Hannam the area’s character. A substantial gap in the House and its associated single storey stable tree line allows for distant views of the ruins. block have importance as a building group that The open watermeadows are important to the together convey Lambert Lane’s original rural setting of the Cowdray House ruins and the character. Their architectural and historic value Causeway that leads to them. should be protected as well as the integrity of their rural setting and countryside views The northern limit of the conservation area is towards the west and north. The setting and marked by North Mill and 111, Vanzell Cottage, context of Whiphill Farm House is expected to which address the road junction between be damaged by the works associated with the Easebourne Lane/North Street (the A272) and new Academy. Dodsley Lane (the A286). Local stone boundary walls define the space around the junction. An The buildings to the rear of the old Grammar inset stone on the (Listed grade II) bridge at School on Lambert’s Lane do not address the North Mill showing clasped hands marks the lane in ways that are locally characteristic but, boundary line between Midhurst and through being low in profile and of good quality, Easebourne. North Mill expresses a historic they have a mildly positive impact on the industrial character within a rural setting. The conservation area. Cowdray estate is accessed via an unassuming lane off the junction. The Tudor ceremonial 6.6.2 KEY CHARACTERISTICS route to Cowdray took the form of the Causeway on North Street. . This part of North Street is strongly On the opposite side, by the entrance to Mill influenced by the presence of the House, is an ancient milestone with badly worn Cowdray lands to the east and south. lettering. The area around the River Rother and Capron House addresses the its associated weir forms an attractive setting watermeadows and ruins successfully. for the old bridge and mill buildings and is- thickly planted with trees, shrubs and bamboo, . Character is marred by the presence of giving it a rather wild and overgrown character. the Tourist Information office and the bus stands. Rural Lane . North Mill and Vanzell Cottage address The lower part of Lambert’s Lane is accessed the junction of the A272 and A286. between the north boundary of the old
Grammar School and 134/135 North Street. Tall boundary walls dominate this eastern end . Lamberts Lane is enclosed at its east of the lane; a stone and brick wall on the south end but opens up as it moves away side and the side elevations of 134/135 North from North Street towards the Street and Carpenter’s on the north. There is countryside. Its spatial character is no building set back and no pavement so this damaged by Rother House. lane has an alley character for its eastern 40 metres, before it widens by Rother House.
Rother House, built in the 1960s, detracts from 6.6.3 BUILDING TYPES the character of Lambert’s Lane. It imposes an aesthetic and spatial condition that is The area is built out at a relatively low density completely alien the lane and has a substantial with a concentration at its southern end and a negative influence. Any replacement structure small group at North Mill. Buildings addressing should address the lane in ways that are locally North Street are predominantly Georgian types distinctive; being built at the edge of the or key buildings, mainly of nineteenth century carriageway like the part of the lane to the east, date. Key buildings include a school, church, or (if an institutional building is proposed) set almshouse and mill. Modern buildings have, back to provide a public space like that at the until recently, had relatively little impact on the front of Capron House. character of North Street. The tourist information office forms the exception. The part
41 of Lambert’s Lane within the character area is therefore more regular than the analysis dominated by agricultural buildings and the side suggests. and rear elevations of the Grammar School. North Street has four buildings of three storeys 6.6.4 BUILDING MATERIALS AND or more. These consist of elements of Capron COLOURS House, the church and part of North Mill.
The building materials of Character Area 5 Building height often equates to building status. comprise the following palette: However, the Neoclassical Grammar school building expresses its high status through being a tall single storey in height. . Red brick . Blue brick (headers) There is a concentration of single storey . Lime plaster buildings on Lambert’s Lane, which contributes . Stone (Lower Greensand, Ironstone) to its relatively rural character. . Flint with brick and stone dressing . Tile hanging 6.6.6 ASSESSMENT OF BUILDING QUALITY
The predominant historic building material in There are seven listed buildings (all Grade II) of the character area is local sandstone. which one is seventeenth century, three are eighteenth century, and three date from 1800- North Mill, the almshouses, the Grammar 40. Capron House is the most noteworthy, and School and Capron House all have dressed has a seventeenth-century core built of brick stone details rather than brick, which is more with a Dutch gable, and a stone mullioned attic common in other parts of the conservation window. The porch and flanking ranges, all of area. Stone detailing is rare in other character stone, are nineteenth-century additions. The areas and its concentration within this character ashlar-faced neoclassical grammar school, area is significant. dated 1821, has four widely spaced pilasters. The Tudor-styled Ognells Almshouses date The two lime plastered buildings both have from 1840. stone plinths and textured lime plaster above. There are several buildings of potentially Wholly brick buildings are restricted to modern listable quality, the flint and red brick Methodist buildings and the nineteenth century rear Church by Josiah Gunton, 1904, perhaps the elements of the Grammar school. most obvious. Whiphill Farmhouse, Hannan House with associated stable building and Rural buildings on Lambert’s Lane are of stone Carpenter’s are all present on the 1846 Tithe with brick dressing. The nineteenth century Map and possess positive group value. additions to the Grammar School and North Mill are also built of these materials. Three of the buildings identified as being positive are ancillary to listed or listable Unique within Midhurst’s conservation area, the buildings so are deserving of being protected church on North Street is built of knapped flint as curtilage structures. with brick and stone details. This building is of good architectural quality, even though it The more modern buildings to the rear of the relates to a brick and flint building tradition that old Grammar School are considered to be is more characteristic of chalk Downland. neutral, through either their moderate architectural quality or by being hidden from 6.6.5 BUILDING STOREY HEIGHTS public view. Similarly, the modern residential buildings on North Street are considered to There is some variety in building storey heights have a neutral impact. within this character area. However, the buildings of 1½ and 2½ storeys do not differ The Chichester District Council Tourist substantially in their height to buildings of 2 Information office is thought to have a negative storeys. The predominant building height is influence as a result of its poor placement in
42 relation to the entrance to the Cowdray includes the area of South Pond. The natural causeway and its architecturally weak corner environment predominantly informs the tower. The single storey extension to Hannan character of this area, although the areas House is also classed as having a moderately associated with Midhurst’s two mills and the negative impact as it detracts from the largely industrial development at The Wharf are appearance and setting of the house. places where natural and human systems have combined. The Wharf was developed from the Rother House in Lambert’s Lane is the only eighteenth century, following improvements to building that substantially detracts from the navigability of the River Rother in 1791-4, and character of the area. It is currently unused and now comprises modern suburbs and works. will be redeveloped as part of the site of the new Midhurst Academy. Its replacement should At South Pond, the millpond, which previously seek to contribute to the rural/school character also functioned as a fish hatchery for Cowdray, of Lambert’s Lane. survives in an informal public park. The eighteenth-century former mill house (South 6.6.7 KEY NEGATIVE FEATURES Pond Cottage) is the only listed building (Grade II).
. North Street Car Park is screened by 6.7.1 SPATIAL TYPES trees on its north and east sides so its
negative impact on the conservation The following spatial types have been identified area is somewhat moderated. The in Character Area 6: large expanse of tarmac and parked
cars still have an adverse effect. Town Park
. The Tourist Information Office is Approaching Midhurst via the Chichester Road, poorly sited and its corner tower is South Pond marks the entrance to the historic unattractive and uncharacteristic of centre of the town. Seen from the bridge, the Midhurst. In combination with the view of historic Midhurst is wholly unspoiled. To entrance to the car park and the bus the left (west) the pond occupies the turning circle, this area detracts from foreground, enclosed by its perimeter of mature the setting of Capron House and the trees. In summer at least, the unattractive principal pedestrian route to Cowdray. Grange Leisure Centre and car park are
hidden. . The entrance to the new Midhurst
Academy has a significant negative From the bridge, the road ascends to the impact on the conservation area. The centre, where a number of important historic impact of the school itself is yet to be sites are visible (Spread Eagle Hotel, its seen. annexe (Old Market Hall), the Parish Church
and St Ann's Hill). The view is framed on the Rother House on Lambert’s Lane is . left by mature trees and on the right by the unsuited to its location and detracts elegant South Pond House and its neighbours. substantially from the character area.
To the east of the bridge, South Pond Cottage . The extension to Hannan House and South Cottage have a rural character that detracts from the historic and is important in expressing that the area is architectural character of the principal beyond the limits of the historic core. The area building. by the weir to the east of the bridge forms a picturesque gorge that contrasts with the
genteel town environment.
Being so central and accessible, South Pond 6.7 CHARACTER AREA 6: forms an important green amenity area. With its RIVER SYSTEM westward continuation accessed by Jubilee Path, it is a green separator between the Character Area 6 comprises the environment of historic town and the newer development to the the River Rother and its tributary, which 43 south. The area provides valuable amenity course of the River Rother to the north. The space and wildlife habitat. historic centre of Midhurst is just 200 metres away to the west but the outlook from the Industrial Wharf footpath is entirely rural and undeveloped. The path follows the river to the front of Cowdray, at The Wharf is a lane of approximately 250 the eastern end of the Causeway from North metres that terminates in a dead end (for Street. This walk is a great asset to Midhurst traffic). It occupies a sensitive location between and requires care to retain its unspoiled St Ann’s Hill and the historic town core to the character whilst managing trees and north and a tributary to the River Rother to the maintaining a path that is accessible to all. It is south. The character of the lane is dominated currently in a condition that is considered by large trees to either side, which separate it dangerous by some users. The path that leads from the surrounding town environment and to the top of St Ann’s Hill has been closed due give it a feeling of isolation and protection. It to subsidence. has relatively little architectural quality but is included in the conservation area for its At the west front of Cowdray the path joins the sensitivity and high potential for enhancement. estate road. The character area follows the course of the river to North Mill and Rotherfield Between the lane and the river tributary are a Pond, in Easebourne. This pond was created in series of industrial sheds. To the sides of the 1968 by an angling club and is not a historic lane, industrial sites have been redeveloped feature. with poorly designed low-cost housing. The secluded waterside setting might have Rural Park supported a mix of high quality housing, the market housing complementing and perhaps The area to the north of North Mill includes subsidising the design of the affordable. weirs and sluices associated with the mill and the substantial Rotherfield Pond, which, as To the north side of the eastern end of the lane stated above, is not a millpond. The area has is an industrial site with some surviving late substantial amenity and wildlife value. A nineteenth or early twentieth century structures. vegetable garden opposite North Mill, to the The remainder of the north side of the lane has south side of Dodsley Lane, adds to the been developed with further affordable housing character and appearance of the area. that lacks local distinctiveness. The buildings present their backs to The Wharf, with high boundary walls and palisade fencing. They have been set back from the street in blocks to provide space for car parking. These houses and car parking areas significantly detract from an area with great historic and landscape value. If opportunities for redevelopment emerge, the distinctive qualities of Midhurst’s characteristic historic streets should provide useful examples.
At the eastern end of The Wharf is an open space with a small sewage pumping station at its centre. Its placement is unfortunate as the open area of lawn could provide valuable amenity space. To the south side of the lane end is a listed stone bridge over the river tributary. A pair of positive Cowdray Estate semi-detached cottages is located on the opposite bank.
River Course
From the east end of The Wharf, a footpath traces the base of St Ann’s Hill and follows the
44
6.7.2 KEY CHARACTERISTICS does not participate significantly in the area’s character. . South Pond is prominent and has a strong influence on the The only other buildings of note (other than character of Midhurst ancillary structures associated with North Mill) are located at the western extremity of the . Most of the character area is character area. A Victorian domestic building at occupied by the environment Taylor’s Field only has a limited influence due associated with the River Rother to it having been subsumed by later and its tributary development and being hidden from view by boundary planting. A nearby range of garages . There is relatively little is notable for its negative impact on the natural development except for the character of its surroundings. industrial area of The Wharf, which also has significant 6.7.4 BUILDING MATERIALS AND numbers of affordable houses. COLOURS
. Areas associated with two historic Character Area 6 contains the following palette: mills lie within this area and have an impact on its character. . Red brick . Painted brick . Buildings of historic value are . Lime plaster dispersed, although there is a . Weatherboarding concentration to the east side of . Stone (Lower Greensand, South Pond. Ironstone)
. The river and its tributary are Brick is the predominant building material within valuable corridors for nature and the character area. However, this does not the topography and trees make it reflect its historic character. No buildings that an attractive area, despite clear make a positive contribution to the character potential for enhancement. area are wholly brick-built.
Of those which contribute to the area’s character: 6.7.3 BUILDING CHARACTER TYPES
The predominant building types in The Wharf . Industrial buildings are rendered or part of the character area are industrial sheds have elevations with a stone base and modern housing, both of generally low with lime plaster above. design quality. In the eighteenth century the . Two Victorian domestic buildings area developed as an industrial area and it is have brick ground floors with tile appropriate that it has retained something of hanging above this function and character. Although there are . One domestic building is lime substantial quantities of modern housing, the plastered quality of the environment, enclosed . One domestic building is of stone topography and presence of industrial premises with brick detailing enables the historic character to be readily discerned.
There are three domestic buildings of Some domestic buildings have weatherboarded nineteenth century date or earlier. Two are first floors; this is not a locally distinctive feature located adjacent to South Street and relate and detracts from the character of the area. more to that residential environment than the Wharf area. The third is a pair of semi-detached 6.7.5 BUILDING STOREY HEIGHTS Cowdray Estate cottages located to the east of the Wharf. Again, this building is separate and Building heights within this character area are generally low with no buildings over two storeys
45 and around half being one or one and a half 6.7.7 KEY NEGATIVE FEATURES storeys.
The industrial buildings that contribute to, or at . Trees on the eastern slopes of St least do not detract from the character of, the Ann’s Hill have fallen and have only area are of one storey only. been partially cleared.
Due to the change in levels between South . There is an absence of directional Street and The Wharf, the two houses which signage to direct visitors to this present 1½ storey elevations to South Street attractive walk. have taller rear elevations. . The loss of trees and shrubs between The cul-de-sac to the north of the main Wharf the Grange car park and South Pond, lane has a number of 1 and 1½ storey which exposes parked cars and buildings, a response to the sloping ground and detracts from the scene. need not to obstruct views to and from St Ann’s Hill. Those on the south side of the cul-de-sac . The degraded paving and random present two-storey elevations to The Wharf. variety of benches around South Pond.
6.7.6 ASSESSMENT OF BUILDING . The presence of the garage range at QUALITY the western end of the character area
There are only six buildings that have been . The proliferation of blandly designed identified as positive within this character area. housing along The Wharf, car parking One of these, South Pond Cottage, is listed. areas and their poor relationships with Two industrial buildings have been identified as the public realm. exerting a positive influence, that to the east end of the Wharf for its age and architectural . Boundary features, such as brick walls quality, the other for its simple, modest and palisade fencing that do not relate industrial character. to local boundary wall characteristics.
When opportunities emerge to redevelop the . The presence of refuse bins at the housing to either side of The Wharf, good perimeters of the lane. quality, locally distinctive buildings that enhance the character area should take their place. . Planting of a municipal character and use of non-indigenous species.
. Areas have a neglected and untended appearance.
. The use of building materials such as weatherboarding in ways that are not locally distinctive.
. The presence of a sewage pumping station at the centre of a potentially valuable amenity space.
. The surfacing of the pathway to Cowdray is irregular and unsuited to disabled users.
. The use of generic street furniture along the pathway detracts from its rural character
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Suburban Streets 6.8 CHARACTER AREA 7: SUBURBS Petersfield Road, Bepton Road, Chichester Character Area 7 lies to the west and south of Road and Ashfield Road all fall into the the medieval town and reaches outwards to late Suburban Street typology. Street widths are nineteenth and twentieth-century suburbs. about 11-12 metres between opposing property Today the area remains largely residential boundaries, including pavements of 2-3 metres although the area closest to the town centre each. The length of each section of street that combines residential use with business uses, falls within the conservation area varies from including a petrol station. 190 metres (Chichester Road) to 460 metres (Bepton Road). Although these are direct The corner of Petersfield and Bepton Roads routes, none is entirely straight. Some degree has seen significant change in the late of sinuosity adds to the interest and picturesque twentieth century, precipitated by the bombing quality of views down the streets. in 1942 and subsequent demolition in1946 of the Congregational Church. Bepton Road has Apart from Ashfield Road, none of the suburban seen modest change since 1945, with the most streets are consistently enclosed by housing significant change being the replacement of frontages. Petersfield Road has a consistency early nineteenth-century housing by the flats of of enclosure on its south side but is Oxford Court. characterised by openness on its northern side, largely as a result of the spacious grounds of Victorian and Edwardian suburban houses St Margaret’s Convent, which was acquired by predominantly inform the character of the area. the Sisters of Mercy in the late Nineteenth These principally consist of short terraces but Century. It is now subject to plans for with semi detached and detached properties redevelopment. Bepton Road is similar except interspersed. Development is concentrated its relative open and enclosed sides alternate. along the western and southern routes that At its eastern section, close to the town centre, radiate from the centre of Midhurst: Petersfield, the southern side is enclosed and the northern Bepton and Chichester Roads. open. This swaps at its middle section, with St Mary’s Roman Catholic Church occupying a There may have been an intention to link large open site on the south side with terraced Petersfield Road and Bepton Road with north- housing opposite. Westward of the church, south orientated streets. Ashfield Road is the terraces resume on the south side but face the only complete link. Cobden Road terminates open space of Midhurst Primary School. The with a dead end; its continuation was perhaps trees on the southern boundary of the school frustrated by the Great War. The triangle of playing fields provide enclosure to the street. land between Ashfield, Petersfield and Bepton This contrast between a relatively open and a Roads has undergone successive phases of relatively enclosed street elevation contributes redevelopment, from ‘backlands’ and fields, to to the area’s distinctive character and should be the interwar “White City” estate to its current preserved. occupation by a supermarket and neo- traditional housing development. Being largely Typically, suburban housing on these streets is enclosed by the principal street elevations, the set back from the pavement by between 3-4 variegated nature of this area has only a minor metres. Nearer to the town centre, where there impact on the character of the conservation is a more urban character, buildings are area. positioned at the backs of pavements with no set backs. Two groups of buildings on Bepton There are shorter stretches of late Victorian or Road stand out for their relatively large Edwardian suburban housing on June Lane setbacks: Rose and Granville Cottages (14.4 and Carron Lane. metres) and Bennett’s Terrace (12 metres).
6.8.1 SPATIAL TYPES Suburban Lane
The following spatial types have been identified June Lane and Carron Lane are classified as in Character Area 7: suburban lanes as they are built at a lower density to the above streets and are more 47 peripheral to the principal routes. The parts of modern buildings associated with the Convent these lanes that lie within the conservation area detract from the historic character of the area. are relatively short, 130 metres (June Lane) and 215 metres (Carron Lane). Three churches and the almshouse influence the character of Bepton Road. June Lane is about 6 metres wide and largely without pavements. Carron Lane is of a similar 6.8.4 BUILDING MATERIALS AND width and also without pavements for most of COLOURS its length within the conservation area. The lack of pavements is clearly a characteristic of The building materials of Character Area 7 Midhurst’s suburban lanes. comprise the following palette:
Like most of the suburban streets, the opposite . Red brick sides of two lanes have asymmetric qualities of . Blue headers enclosure. . Lime plaster . Stone (Lower Greensand) 6.8.2 KEY CHARACTERISTICS . Painted brick or stone
. Timber weatherboarding . The area is dominated by streets of . Tile hanging suburban housing. . Plastic (petrol station) . Although principally divided into series . Blue/grey – slate of terraced houses there are a minority of semi-detached and detached properties. Brick is the predominant building material in the . At the townward ends of Petersfield character area although a number of modern and Bepton Roads and on Cobden buildings detract from local distinctiveness Road houses are built with no set- through their use of shades of brown and buff, backs. Otherwise front gardens of rather than the distinctive red. around 3m are usual. . Parking is on-road Red brick is clearly the preferred material for . Only Ashfield Road is consistently Edwardian and Victorian suburban housing. A enclosed on both sides. Otherwise it is number of these on Chichester Road have characteristic for consistent elevations stone details that add to their architectural of housing to face more open areas on refinement. June Lane is the exception, where the other side of their streets lime plaster is the predominant material. Two Edwardian buildings have lime plastered ground floors with tile hanging above. A few 6.8.3 BUILDING CHARACTER TYPES brick houses have been painted or clad. Whilst this is not sufficient to have a markedly Victorian and Edwardian suburban housing is negative impact on the character of the area, the principal building type within this character existing brick elevations should be preserved. area although there are significant groups of earlier, mostly Georgian buildings. Buildings that predate the Victorian and Edwardian houses have a different palette of There are groups of earlier buildings both at the materials. Lime plaster is the most common town ends of Petersfield and Bepton Roads and facing although some are of stone. Only one of in more isolated groups on Petersfield, Bepton these older buildings is of brick. and Chichester Roads. There are a number of 1930s houses that have The north side of Bepton Road and the area brick ground floors and are lime plastered enclosed by Petersfield, Bepton and Ashfield above. Roads has undergone substantial rebuilding in the late twentieth century to the detriment of its Two medieval buildings have been identified. historic character. One is outwardly of stone whilst the other has a stone ground floor with tile hanging above. The spacious quality of the grounds of Midhurst Convent has been retained although the more 48
Two large early twentieth century houses on There are a large number of buildings that have Bepton Road have stone ground floors with tile been identified as being of listable quality. Two hanging above. A neighbouring modern or more buildings are thought to be of medieval building that is a poor imitation with stone origin. The unlisted Baptist chapels (closed) coloured brickwork and unrefined tile hanging survive, as does Bennett’s Terrace (a rare has compromised their appearance. Midhurst survival of early nineteenth-century terraced housing), although these are regarded St Mary’s Church is built of a stone that sits well as being too altered to be Listable. Other in relation to Midhurst’s historic buildings. The buildings considered to be of listable quality are more recent presbytery that stands next to it, mainly nineteenth century houses. St Mary’s however, appears to be built of a manmade Roman Catholic Church, 1957 by Guy Morgan stone imitation in narrow, regular courses. Its and Partners, was spot-listed in 2011. A wide design, detailing and materiality detract from vertical crack has unfortunately been repaired the character of the conservation area and the in a mortar of much darker colour than the church. original. There are two buildings in the character area Rose Cottage and Granville Cottage are set with timber weatherboarding. One, in Carron Lane, is painted and of a quality that does not back from Bepton Road. They seem to be of detract from local character. That in June Lane early nineteenth century date and appear on is a poor quality building that may be a the 1846 Tithe Map. Internally they are timber candidate for redevelopment. framed and appear of late medieval date. Separated by early twentieth century semi- An industrial building on Bepton Road has a detached houses, The Chapel (1840) and Dean rendered base with slate hanging above. This is House (Lavant Workwear shop to ground floor) highly uncharacteristic of the area. Its negative to the east of the cottages are outwardly of a impact is, however, diluted by the very poor similar date and style. quality of buildings between it and the crossroads to the north. To the immediate north of Midhurst Granaries on Bepton Road is a building of medieval origin. The worst building in the character area in This and the early nineteenth century buildings terms of its use of materials is the petrol station. between it and the listed almshouse may be of Its main visible material is its synthetic fascia. sufficient quality to be Listed.
6.8.5 BUILDING STOREY HEIGHTS To the west of the listed 4-7 Petersfield Road is a terrace of four stone cottages with brick The vast majority of the buildings in this detailing, two of which are painted. These Character Area are two storey and modest in appear of similar date and quality to the listed scale. A few, mostly on the fringe of the town Irongates Cottage on North Street and warrant centre, are three storied. protection.
6.8.6 ASSESSMENT OF BUILDING An unusual pair of stone cottages with curved QUALITY brick details (50 & 52 Petersfield Road, built as a pair of farm cottages for Guillards Oak Farm) There are three listed buildings or building may be of late eighteenth or nineteenth century groups in the character area. The group date. They are considered of strongly positive comprises Cussies Row (4-7 Petersfield Road), character. which is a late Georgian range of stuccoed cottages. The former St Margaret’s Convent There are a large number of later positive school (founded 1888; closed 2009) is one of buildings within the character area, mainly Midhurst’s few examples of an early nineteenth- consisting of rows of Victorian and Edwardian century detached villa, originally known as Donkham’s. It has been listed at Grade II. The houses. These establish the character of large third building is a nineteenth century parts of the conservation area and this should almshouse. be respected in any proposals for change or adaptation.
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A relatively small number of buildings are on the opposite side of the street. The building regarded as having a neutral impact on the appears alien and out of keeping in terms of character area. These are generally located in both its building form and materials. positions where their impact on the historic environment is minimised. Three houses on Other buildings that have been identified as Petersfield Road have painted elevations, one moderate detractors from the character of the of which has also been clad in stone. Although area are poorly detailed modern buildings on these do not detract from the character of the Ashfield Road and adjacent Heathfield area, the distinctive quality of Midhurst’s Gardens. They appear to have been designed Victorian suburb could be eroded if such with no consideration of the qualities of their practices continue. context.
There are a significant number of buildings The area includes significant numbers of which either moderately detract from the buildings that substantially detract from the character of the area or which may be character of the area. Those on Petersfield enhanced to be neutral or positive. The largest Road relate to the closed convent school and of these is the supermarket, which is located in should shortly be subject to redevelopment. the triangle of land between Petersfield, Bepton Approved replacement structures will hopefully and Ashfield Roads. Its design is excessively correspond with the distinct qualities of this part bland but any negative impact on the area is of the character area. Towards the eastern end limited by its concealed position. of Petersfield Road, buildings will be positioned at the back of the pavement and should present The designer of the Presbytery to St Mary’s a formal public elevation to the street. Church has sought to establish a relationship with the church through the selection of a The north side of Bepton Road between the similarly coloured masonry. The design and slate hung industrial building and Russell particularly the fenestration pattern are, House at the crossroads is of consistently poor however, poor and detract from the setting of quality and is the most negative and detrimental the church and the character of the part of the conservation area. Future conservation area. The building could be redevelopment may provide opportunities to re- improved through the remodelling of the front establish more locally distinctive building elevation and the concealment of the poor patterns. The decision to redevelop the ‘Old masonry behind a lime plaster. Dairy’ site with a modern residential building that alludes to an industrial predecessor is To the northeast of the Presbytery is The unfortunate, particularly as the dairy was only of Gables, which is an addition to the adjacent single storey height. Edwardian Hatton House. The design of this building is a modern interpretation of it’s The veterinary centre adjacent to the Old neighbour. The decision to mimic the Courthouse is of poor architectural quality but neighbouring building is odd and unsuccessful. its negative impact is lessened though its relatively concealed location. The Police Station on Bepton Road is of no architectural interest but the simple, modest approach does not offend. The principal issue is its placement, set back from the road with a lawn but with no boundary feature separating it from the pavement. This is not characteristic of this part of Midhurst and detracts from the distinctive qualities of the conservation area.
On Petersfield Road, the modern Sisters of Mercy convent accommodation presents an elevation to the road that alludes to a suburban house but conflicts with the established pattern of Victorian and Edwardian suburban houses
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6.8.7 KEY NEGATIVE FEATURES
. The Police Station on Bepton
Road is architecturally undistinguished and has a large setback that is laid to
lawn.
. Inconsistent and inappropriate boundary treatments.
. Modern buildings constructed in the grounds of Midhurst Convent.
. The triangular area enclosed by Petersfield, Bepton and Ashfield Roads has phases of rebuilding in the late twentieth century to the detriment of its historic character. This has included the introduction of gated forms of development.
. A few brick built Victorian and Edwardian buildings have been painted or clad.
. A number of modern buildings have been constructed in bricks that do not match local brick characteristics in terms of their colour and texture.
. A modern building on Bepton Road has sought to imitate the architecture of its Edwardian neighbour in a modern idiom, to the detriment of both buildings.
. The presbytery of St Mary’s Church is architecturally poor and detracts from the appearance and setting of the church.
. Cracks to the north and south sides of St Mary’s Church have been conspicuously repaired in mortar of a much darker colour than the original, accentuating the apparent structural problem.
. The 1960s weatherboarded building on June Lane is architecturally poor and detracts from the conservation area.
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. An industrial building on Bepton Road Reason: has a rendered base with slate Midhurst’s late Victorian and Edwardian hanging above, its design is suburbs built prior to the phase of rapid incompatible with the qualities of the expansion in the second half of the twentieth conservation area. The petrol station century exhibit an architectural and townscape on Bepton Road makes no quality worthy of protection. concessions to the sensitivity of its
setting. Wildlife corridor to southwest of South Pond
The area is important in providing a wildlife 7 ISSUES corridor along the River Rother and its tributary.
7.1 CONSERVATION AREA BOUNDARY The Wharf to south of St Ann’s Hill REVIEW The Wharf is of importance for its position The existing conservation area boundary was between the vegetated river channel and St drawn up some time ago and in the intervening Ann’s Hill. It is also of historic significance but ten years it has become common practice to its main interest is in its proximity to important expand existing conservation areas to include areas and its potential to enhance or detract areas beyond the core of historic buildings, from them. perhaps to include more dispersed historic development, landscape or archaeological The three houses to the north of Vanzell features. Boundary reviews also now tend to Cottages include recommendations that the designated area is defined by physical boundaries that The three houses to the north of Vanzell follow established legal boundaries, rather than Cottages by North Mill are not of architectural cutting across gardens or through buildings. or historic interest so it is proposed that this The following changes are therefore proposed area is removed from the conservation area. for the Midhurst conservation area boundary:
Rotherfield Pond and adjacent area to north 7.2 THE CONTROL OF UNLISTED side of North Street DWELLINGS
Reason: It has been noted that some of the unlisted This area is significant for its natural ‘positive’ buildings in the existing and proposed appearance and value to wildlife, rather than conservation area have been adversely historic importance. affected by the insertion of uPVC windows or doors. These changes are ‘permitted The agricultural and educational environment at development’ which can be controlled by the the northern corner of Lambert’s Lane Council through the imposition of an Article 4 Direction. This can also be used to control Reason: changes to roofs, front elevations, porches, This area is significant in retaining Lambert front boundaries and front gardens that would Lane’s original rural appearance and character, also be normally considered ‘permitted which is in danger of being wholly lost to development’. redevelopment. The areas associated with Midhurst Grammar School/Rother College are also of importance in maintaining the lane’s 7.3 THE CONTROL OF SATELLITE long association with education. There is an DISHES interrelationship between the lane and the school that should be protected. Although planning permission is required for all satellite dishes in any conservation area which Suburbs to the west and south, including June have been fixed to a roof or wall of a building Lane, Petersfield Road, Bepton Road, Ashfield which faces the highway and is visible from it, Road and Chichester Road several have been erected which do not have permission. This trend will gradually erode the
52 high quality of the environment in the conservation area.
7.4 THE CARE AND PROTECTION OF TREES AND THE LANDSCAPE IN GENERAL
Various areas of woodland, both within and on the edges of the existing conservation area, are potentially vulnerable to neglect. This should be addressed by the various landowners concerned.
7.5 TRAFFIC AND PEDESTRIAN MANAGEMENT
Busy and fast moving traffic through the historic core and through Rumbold’s Hill and North Street is detrimental to the enjoyment of the area by pedestrians.
7.6 HGVs
HGVs and high-sided vehicles are damaging buildings at the east end of West Street and Red Lion Street. Action must be taken to limit the passage of HGV through-traffic entering the historic core.
7.7 LOCAL AND STATUTORY LIST
Midhurst’s statutory list was drawn up from the 1950s and a partial review was undertaken in parallel with this document, resulting in a number of spot-listings. There is currently no Local List for the town, or indeed any agreed criteria for drawing up such a list, but this study identifies many buildings and structures within the conservation area for potential local listing.
7.8 ROOFS AND DORMERS
Midhurst is particularly notable for its consistency of roof forms and for the use of hand made clay tiles. Several buildings have modern roof lights or dormers that are over- dominant. The specific protection of these features, particularly on the unlisted buildings where the Council has less control, is important. An Article 4 Direction is one way of ensuring that minor changes to roofs and chimneys to unlisted buildings are brought under planning control.
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PART 2 both preserved and enhanced for future generations. MIDHURST CONSERVATION AREA MANAGEMENT Local Planning Authorities are required by law to periodically review their conservation areas PROPOSALS and prepare Character Appraisals and Management Proposals as part of this 1 INTRODUCTION obligation. A five year review cycle has been considered to be best practice. 1.1 FORMAT OF THE MANAGEMENT PROPOSALS The involvement and approval of the local community in the formulation and delivery of Part 1 of this document, the Character these documents helps to strengthen their Appraisal, has identified the special positive status and should help ensure that the various qualities of the Midhurst Conservation Area that actions identified in the Management Proposals make it unique and the negative aspects of the will have greater impact and longevity. For the town which diminish that special quality. Part 2, current Midhurst review, this has been achieved the Management Proposals, builds upon these by early consultation with the Town Council. positive features and addresses the negative aspects and issues that have been identified. It Additionally, the documents were subject to provides a series of issues and four weeks of full public consultation, recommendations for improvement and commencing with a public exhibition at Capron change. House in Midhurst from July 9th 2011. Following this, the text was amended, and the documents The structure and scope of this document is illustrated and adopted. based on the suggested framework published by English Heritage in Guidance on the The proactive management of conservation Management of Conservation Areas (2005). areas gives clarity and robustness to decision Both the Conservation Area Character making, which means that issues may be more Appraisal and the Management Proposals will defensible in, for instance, planning appeals. be subject to monitoring and reviews on a five The Character Appraisal and these yearly basis, as set out in Part 2: Section 5. Management Proposals will therefore be of use to the Local Planning Authority and its agents 1.2 THE PURPOSE OF THE MANAGEMENT when determining applications for change PROPOSALS within or on the edges of the conservation area, and for property owners and their agents when These Management Proposals have been considering schemes for refurbishment, drawn up following the production of a detailed alteration or new development. The documents Character Appraisal for the Midhurst will also be of interest to Midhurst’s residents Conservation Area. It provides a framework for and business community. future actions that are primarily an aspiration of the South Downs National Park Authority, although their successful implementation will 2 LEGISLATIVE BACKGROUND also depend on the co-operation and support of the District Council, the Town Council, West 2.1 THE IMPLICATIONS OF CONSERVATION Sussex County Council, and local people. AREA DESIGNATION
Government policy, set out over many years Designation as a conservation area brings a has made it clear that conservation areas are number of specific statutory provisions aimed at not ‘‘preservation’ areas. Change is an assisting the preservation and enhancement of inevitable consequence of life and the the area. These are as follows: challenge is to manage it in a manner that does not diminish the special qualities of a place. These Management Proposals seek to provide a framework for managed change that will ensure that the special architectural and historic interest of the Midhurst Conservation Area is
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require planning approval from the Local • The local authority is under a statutory Planning Authority. The overall effect of these duty to review designations ‘from time to additional controls is that the amount of building time’ and to ensure the preservation and work which can be carried out to a family house enhancement of the conservation area. or within its grounds without a planning There is a particular duty to prepare application is somewhat less within a proposals (such as conservation area conservation area than elsewhere. These are: appraisals, grant schemes or
enhancement proposals) to that end; • In the exercise of any powers under the • Larger extensions to buildings in Planning Acts, with respect to any conservation areas will usually require buildings or other land in a conservation planning permission. area, special attention must be paid to the • Planning permission is needed for desirability of preserving or enhancing the external cladding to dwellings in character or appearance of that area; conservation areas, for instance using • Extra publicity must be given to planning stone, artificial stone, timber, plastic or applications affecting conservation areas tiles; – this is usually achieved through the use • Planning permission is needed for any of advertising in the local newspaper; alteration to the roof of a dwelling • Conservation Area Consent is required resulting in a material alteration to its for the total demolition of any unlisted shape - most notably the addition of building in a conservation area, subject to dormer windows; minor exceptions, and the local authority • Planning permission is needed for the or the Secretary of State may take erection of any structure within the enforcement action or institute a criminal curtilage of a dwelling in a conservation prosecution if consent is not obtained; area if the cubic capacity exceeds 10 • Written notice must be given to the cubic metres. This is especially important Council before works are carried out to for sheds, garages, and other outbuildings any tree in the area, subject to minor in gardens. exceptions; • The display of advertisements may be more restricted than elsewhere; Periodic changes to the GPDO may amend the • The Council or the Secretary of State constraints mentioned above, so it is always may be able to take steps to ensure that a wise to check with the Council first before building in a conservation area is kept in commencing any work. good repair through the use of Urgent Works Notices and Amenity Notices; Where a building is statutorily listed, different • The energy conservation expectations of legislation applies, as all internal and external the Building Regulations (Part L) do not alterations that affect the special architectural invariably apply to buildings within a or historic interest of the building require Listed conservation area; Building Consent. Furthermore, commercial • Powers exist for local authorities, properties (such as shops and public houses), English Heritage or the Heritage Lottery and houses which are in multiple occupation Fund to provide financial grant schemes such as flats or bed-sits have fewer permitted to assist with the upkeep of buildings in development rights. Therefore, planning conservation areas, although funds are permission is already required for many usually targeted to areas of economic alterations to these buildings. deprivation. 2.3 NATIONAL POLICY AND GUIDANCE
2.2 THE CONTROL OF DEVELOPMENT AND Central government policy on conservation CHANGE areas, historic buildings and archaeology is contained in PPS5, published in March 2010. The requirements for planning permission: Additional guidance is provided in the accompanying Historic Environment Planning Certain works to dwellings within a Practice Guide, prepared by English Heritage. conservation area, which are normally This covers the designation of areas and the considered to be ‘permitted development,’ will responsibilities that stem from designation, 55 including the appraisal of the special interest of . Policy BE6 applies to the conservation areas and the control of Conservation Area. development affecting them. . Policy BE1 applies to the area within
the Settlement Boundary These expectations are further developed in Policy RE4 applies as the area is separate English Heritage guidance on the . within the South Downs National Park, appraisal and management of conservation formerly the South Downs Area of areas. Outstanding Natural Beauty
Further government advice, encouraging good design, is set out in the National Planning Policy Framework. Whilst not specifically concerned with conservation areas, this does 3 RECOMMENDED ACTIONS provide broad support for improving standards of design and sustainability. 3.1 CONSERVATION AREA BOUNDARY REVIEW 2.4 THE LOCAL PLAN AND THE EMERGING LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK Section 7.1 in the Character Appraisal provides details of the proposed amendments to the At the time of writing, the Chichester District conservation area. These are: Local Plan 1999, the Chichester District Local . Rother Pond and adjacent area to Plan Supplementary Information 2000, and the north side of North Street. Regional Spatial Strategy, as set out in the South East Plan adopted May 2009, form the . The agricultural and educational Development Plan for Chichester District. The environment of Lambert’s Lane. South East Plan is proposed to be revoked by the Secretary of State early in 2012 and the . Suburbs to the west and south, South Downs National Park Core Strategy will including June Lane, Petersfield Road, replace the Local Plan on its adoption by the Bepton Road, Ashfield Road and National Park Authority, scheduled for 2014. Chichester Road.
The Local Plan 1999 contains several relevant . Wildlife corridor to southwest of South policies. Chapter 2 Environmental Strategy Pond and The Wharf to south of St contains a description of the Council’s aims and Ann’s Hill objectives relating to historic buildings and conservation areas. The policies relating to . Removal of the three houses to the these specialist topics are set out in a separate north of Vanzell Cottages and North section under Built Environment: Policies BE4 Mill, and BE5 (historic buildings) and BE6 conservation areas). Archaeology is dealt with under Policy BE3. Recommended Action 1: Some of the policies from the 1999 Local Plan Designate the above parts of Midhurst as have been ‘saved’ and are still relevant, extensions to the conservation area and de- pending the production of the Core Strategy for designate the area to the north of Vanzell the National Park which will seek to ensure that Cottages. locally distinctive polices, not already covered by Planning Policy Statements and the Regional Spatial Strategy, are in place. 3.2 THE CONTROL OF UNLISTED HOUSES AND COTTAGES The Midhurst Conservation Area was designated on 17th July 1974 and first extended It has been noted that some of the unlisted on 10th June 2008. The Local Plan insert map, ‘positive’ buildings in the existing and proposed which is still relevant, is Map 4. This confirms conservation area have been adversely the following designations: affected by the insertion of uPVC windows or doors. These changes are ‘permitted development’ which can be controlled by the
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Council through the imposition of an Article 4 which front a highway, private road or open Direction. This is usually used to control minor space can require planning consent. changes to unlisted family dwellings in conservation areas. It does not mean that CREATION OF CAR PARKING IN FRONT development, such as changes to windows or GARDENS AND REMOVAL OR doors, will necessarily be refused. It does, REPLACEMENT OF FRONT BOUNDARIES – however, mean that planning permission has to The creation of a hardstanding to provide a be sought and this allows for the merits of a parking space in a front garden can require proposal to be considered against the planning permission. The removal conservation interests. of a front boundary wall may already require Conservation Area Consent, depending on its Article 4 Directions are made under the General height. Permitted Development Order 2008, and may be served by a Local Planning Authority to There are some unlisted dwellings in the remove permitted development rights where Midhurst Conservation Area that could benefit there is a real threat to a particular residential from these additional constraints. Whilst an building or area due to unsuitable alterations or Article 4 Direction cannot be retrospective, the additions. An Article 4 Direction is accompanied serving of one is likely to incrementally improve by a Schedule that specifies the various the character and appearance of the changes to dwellings which will now require conservation area over time. An Article 4 planning permission. Usually, such Directions Direction should be focused on groups of are used in conservation areas to protect buildings, rather than the whole conservation unlisted houses in use as a family unit, rather area, such as locally listed buildings or than flats or bedsits, where permitted buildings of positive townscape merit. Any development rights are already less extensive. Direction will require a photographic survey to record the present condition of the buildings Under an Article 4 Direction, planning concerned, and written guidance would be permission can be required for the following, provided to householders. The provision of depending on the permitted development right grants to help with the additional costs removed: associated with traditional materials or the reinstatement of lost architectural features HOUSE EXTENSIONS – Planning permission (such as the replacement of uPVC windows can be required for the enlargement, with windows to a traditional design) would be improvement or other alteration of a dwelling helpful. house including entrance porches, any part of which fronts a highway, private road or open Recommended Action 2: space (this lowers the limit of ‘permitted The Local Planning Authority will consider development’ already imposed by conservation serving an Article 4 Direction on the Midhurst area designation). Conservation Area, to cover appropriate unlisted dwelling houses. PAINTING OF DWELLING HOUSES – Planning permission can be required for the 3.3 THE CONTROL OF SATELLITE DISHES painting of a dwelling house. During the survey work for the Midhurst ROOFS – A planning application can be Conservation Area Character Appraisal, it was required for alterations to a roof slope which noted that a number of satellite dishes were fronts a highway, private road or open space, visible. The rules governing satellite dishes in including a change in the roof materials and the conservation areas are significantly tighter than insertion of roof lights. Dormer windows already outside such areas and were revised in 2008 by require planning permission under the GDPO. the new General (Permitted Development) Order. This states that for all unlisted buildings CHIMNEYS – The removal of a chimney or its in a conservation area, in whatever use and of partial demolition can require planning whatever size, planning permission is required permission. for all ‘antennas’ (which includes satellite dishes and any other equipment used to deliver REPLACEMENT WINDOWS AND DOORS – electronic communications) which are located The replacement of existing windows and doors on a chimney, wall or roof slope which face
57 onto, and are visible, from a road. In such existing significant tree has become necessary. cases, planning permission will usually be The Tree Officer of Chichester District Council refused. The rules governing other locations on can provide free advice and guidance on trees the building are extremely complex so it is which need any management. Planting within always best to ask the District Council if the public realm should use indigenous species planning permission is required before carrying in ways that are sensitive to the character and out the work. quality of spaces
For listed buildings, Listed Building Consent is Owners of the land around and within the almost always required for the installation of conservation area, mostly used as fields, ‘antennas’ and if is considered that the should also be encouraged to maintain the land installation will have an adverse effect on the in good condition and to encourage bio- special architectural or historic interest of the diversity whenever possible by sympathetic building, consent will usually be refused. methods of planting and cropping.
Conventional TV aerials and their mountings Recommended Action 4: and poles are not considered to be The District Council will prepare guidelines for ‘development’ and therefore planning the owners of trees and land in and around the permission is not required. (See also the DCLG Midhurst Conservation Area to maintain and pamphlet, A Householders’ Planning Guide to improve their trees and land, including the the Installation of Antennas available on the creation of biodiverse habitats for wildlife. DLG website). 3.5 TRAFFIC AND PEDESTRIAN Recommended Action 3: MANAGEMENT The Local Planning Authority will consider taking Enforcement Action against the owners Because it lies at the crossroads of two busy A- of properties where satellite dishes have been roads, the A272 and A286, heavy traffic in the erected without planning permission and town centre has a significantly detrimental negotiation has failed to achieve a satisfactory effect on the character of the conservation outcome. area. Early twentieth century photographs give an indication of how vehicles have had a 3.4 THE CARE AND PROTECTION OF profound effect on the character and TREES AND THE LANDSCAPE IN GENERAL appearance of the town. Many streets, virtually car free at the beginning of the twentieth Within all conservation areas, anyone intending century, have become dominated by an almost to carry out works to a tree greater than 75 mm continuous flow of traffic. diameter at 1.5 metres above the ground must give the Council six weeks written notice before The current arrangements for traffic movement starting the work. ‘Work’ is defined as lopping, and parking within the conservation area have topping, or felling. This provision provides the benefits for residents and visitors but they are District Council with an opportunity of assessing also increasingly spoiling the amenity of the the tree to see if it makes a positive contribution town and undermining its attractiveness to to the character or appearance of the visitors and shoppers. As with other parts of the conservation area, in which case a Tree conservation area, parked cars in Church Hill Preservation Order may be served. This and Market Square detract from an outstanding protects the tree from felling or inappropriate streetscape. The appearance of this and other lopping. Fruit trees are no longer exempt, areas could be greatly improved if many of the although slightly different constraints occur. parking spaces could be removed. The setting of the War Memorial would also be improved. There are many trees in the Midhurst Efforts should be made to reduce the volume of Conservation Area. Some of these, such as the through traffic passing through the town centre trees on St Ann’s Hill, are the responsibility of and increasing priority for pedestrians. the Town Council, but the vast majority will be in private ownership. Owners are encouraged Traffic signage and road markings also detract to look after their trees, to remove any which from the character of the conservation area. are dangerous or diseased, and to plant The design, location and number of signs replacement trees where the removal of an
58 should be analysed with a view to seeking acknowledge the Local List in planning policy rationalisation, improvements and removals. and state the circumstances in which it will affect planning decisions. The Town Council, District Council and County Council highway engineers have already Recommended Action 6: discussed methods of ‘traffic calming’ to reduce The Local Planning Authority, in association traffic speed and HGV movements within the with the Town Council, will consider drawing up historic core. Additional measures, such as the a Local List for Midhurst Conservation Area. creation of shared space schemes, could be welcome. All traffic measures must, however, 3.7 ROOFS AND DORMERS be carefully designed, using traditional materials and low-key details with the minimum The clay tiled or slate roofs of the many historic of signage, so that the character of the buildings in the Midhurst Conservation Area conservation area is not adversely affected. make a very important contribution to the special character of the area. Many of these Recommended Action 5: have substantial brick chimneys, often topped As opportunities arise, the Town Council, by clay chimney pots. These roofs must be District Council and County Council will protected from unsuitable changes such as the continue to seek ways of improving pedestrian insertion of oversized dormers or roof lights, or safety, reducing traffic speeds and HGV the loss of chimney stacks. movements in Midhurst, whilst protecting the special character of the conservation area. Where the building is statutorily listed, any changes to the roof would normally require 3.6 LOCAL AND STATUTORY LISTS Listed Building Consent, and permission is unlikely to be given if the Local Planning The statutory list for Midhurst was drawn up Authority considers that the proposals would be from 1959 and has not been comprehensively detrimental to the character of the listed reviewed since. A number of buildings or building. In the case of unlisted residential structures in the conservation area have been buildings, such changes can be controlled assessed by English Heritage for statutory through conservation area designation (which listing and seven additions to the list have controls dormers) as well as through the recently resulted. serving of an Article 4 Direction (which can control roof materials, roof lights and In the past there were proposals to extend a chimneys). It is vital that these additional Local List to areas of Chichester District beyond powers are used to ensure that these Chichester City, starting with Midhurst and significant features within the conservation area Petworth. ‘Locally listed’ buildings are buildings are protected from unsuitable alteration or loss. or other features of local importance that, although not statutorily listed, are nonetheless Because unlisted commercial properties have significant to the history, appearance, fewer ‘permitted development’ rights than character, and cultural value of the District. unlisted residential properties, the Local Planning Authority can already require business There is an increasing interest in local listing owners to apply for planning permission for nationally. It is therefore recommended that the changes such as the replacement of a clay tile SDNPA should consider preparation of a Local roof with artificial slate. List in order to give better recognition and, where necessary, control, of the historic Recommended Action 7: environment in the planning process. The first SDNPA through its Development Management step would be to agree criteria for the selection agency with Chichester District will continue to of buildings and structures for the Local List. protect the roofscape of the Midhurst Buildings could then be added to the list as Conservation Area by the rigorous application circumstances allow, most obviously through of its existing powers and by publishing the conservation area appraisal process, rather guidelines for householders, and will also than by a systematic survey of the entire consider serving an Article 4 Direction to National Park. Community involvement in the protect unlisted houses in the conservation selection process would add weight to the list area. as a planning tool. It will also be necessary to
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3.8 HERITAGE WALK influence the design of new boundary elements within the conservation area. The breaching of The ruins of Cowdray have tremendous historic walls should be avoided. A lime-based potential to contribute more fully towards the mortar should be used in repair work and historical interpretation and visitor interest of pointing should be slightly recessed and match Midhurst. A heritage walk would help to link the the original. Original coursing patterns and brick ruins more fully to the heritage of the town as a bonds should be followed when repairing. whole, both in a physical way and in its historic interpretation. Recommended Action 9: The walk would help to define the relationship between the ruins and the origins and later Midhurst would benefit from a Design Manual story of the town as well as leading visitors which defines how public realm elements through the most attractive and interesting parts should be treated, including paving materials of the historic area. There are clearly several and designs, street furniture, lighting, signage, important issues to be resolved, not least of lime painting, traffic control etc. Statutory which is car parking. undertakers and utility companies should agree to abide by the recommendations of the Recommended Action 8: manual. Work with partner organisations to develop the Heritage Walk project. 3.10 NEW DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE CONSERVATION AREA 3.9 WORKS AFFECTING THE PUBLIC REALM Where new development is proposed within the conservation area, or in areas that would have Whilst national legislation has protected the an impact on the setting of the conservation buildings that define the edge of the public area, this character appraisal should assist with realm, it has done little to protect the heritage, the development of proposals that accord with design and material qualities of the public building patterns and characteristics. environment itself. This is largely made up of paving materials and finishes, street furniture New development should relate to its context in and occasionally boundary walls. terms of the relationship between the building
Statutory undertakers and utility companies and the street, its position and relationship to its show little regard for the heritage or quality of plot, scale, massing, form, roof type and pitch, the historic paving they dig up when executing fenestration pattern, traditional detailing and street works. Although they have a legal use of local materials. responsibility to reinstate paving to its original appearance, this is frequently done to an The use of non-traditional materials such as inadequate standard. The quantity and quality uVPC windows and doors, plastic gutters and of historic paving is gradually diminishing. It downpipes, concrete roof tiles, artificial slates should be protected and used to influence the and reconstituted stone are not suitable for design of new paving to replace poor quality buildings within the conservation area. A strict and concrete slab paving within the most palette with a maximum of two facing materials sensitive parts of the conservation area. is recommended for any new buildings in the Historic surfaces should also be protected in conservation area. any schemes to renew private yard and access areas. The Planning Authority will continue to ensure that any planning applications for new garages There also needs to be an agreed strategy for in the Midhurst Conservation Area are of the street lighting in terms of the lighting qualities highest possible standard using traditional appropriate to the historic environment as well materials and roof details. Flat roofed garages as the appearance of the lighting units. will generally not be accepted.
Historic boundary wall features are often private elements of the public streetscape but should be maintained, repaired, reinstated and used to
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Recommended Action 10: . Many of the Midhurst’s buildings The agents responsible for preparing proposals conceal earlier fabric than is apparent from their exteriors so even small for new development in the conservation area internal alterations should be very should be alerted to this character appraisal and required to demonstrate how their carefully considered in relation to the proposals address the distinctive architectural possible effect on original historic fabric. The District Council will require and townscape qualities and patterns described (by condition) the recording of earlier in relation to the relevant character areas. It is timber framing which will be affected also suggested that every property in the Conservation Area is provided with a guide that by development where this has been describes a best practice approach to hidden by later alteration or additions. conserving and enhancing the historic . Retain original timber doors and fan environment. lights, timber sash windows, original casement windows and leaded lights. 3.11 ALTERATIONS TO BUILDINGS IN THE Repair whenever possible and only CONSERVATION AREA replace with 'like for like' when absolutely necessary. The use of Alterations to existing buildings within the replacements in modern materials conservation area which require Planning such as UPVC is inappropriate. Consent should conserve and, where possible, enhance the historic and architectural value of . Opportunities should be taken to the area. A short list of key considerations is replace non-traditional materials or included here: designs with ones that accord with the character and appearance of the building and/or conservation area
. Encourage retention and (where possible) reinstatement of traditional lime plastered finishes (e.g. roughcast, score lined lime plaster)
. Encourage the use of traditional lime wash on appropriate surfaces (e.g. stone rubble, exposed timber framing, existing lime plaster) rather than paint
. Encourage the retention and repair of original awning boxes to shop fronts
. Special consideration will be given to extensions and alterations at the rear of properties. Rear elevations are often highly visible in historic towns and retain much original fabric. Inappropriate development can be particularly detrimental to character and appearance. Particular attention is needed to preserving important edge of town views
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Recommended Action 11: . Proposals are being developed to limit access into the historic core by high sided Opportunities should be taken to conserve and, and wide vehicles. where possible, enhance the historic and architectural value of buildings in the . The garages and forecourt on the west side conservation area. The provision of grant of Sheep Lane detract from the setting of funding would help realise this aspiration. the Church. The street scene and setting of the Church could be improved if these were demolished and low cottages built directly at 4 RECOMMENDED the back edge of the pavement. The 1846 Tithe Map shows that there were previously MANAGEMENT PROPOSALS service buildings in this position. RELATING TO THE CHARACTER AREAS . The appearance of ‘Castle Gardens’ flats could be enhanced with stronger boundary 4.1 CHARACTER AREA 1 planting between it and Duck Lane.
. Establish circular heritage trails that lead . The rear boundary of Stone House (on through the area to provide more passive Wool Lane) would benefit from the surveillance reinstatement of a high boundary wall to re- establish the enclosure of Duck Lane. . Manage surrounding trees, clear felled trees Vehicular access could be provided by and clear scrub. Raising canopies may means of gates. provide more openness and provide better views to surrounding countryside and the . Similarly, a high boundary wall and gates town. would provide better enclosure at the northeast corner of the lane. 4.2 CHARACTER AREA 2 . The row of six garages on the east side of . If buildings change from commercial to Duck Lane and the dilapidated garage with domestic use, ensure that the historic corrugated metal roof may be regarded as a commercial appearance of the building is development opportunity to provide mews maintained through the retention of shop housing of appropriate scale. The stable windows and sympathetic commercial with hayloft behind Robert & Sheron, West elements. Street, could set an example although a building with eaves parallel to the street . Proposals have been developed for would be more fitting. resurfacing Market Square in high quality materials that are suited to this sensitive . The modern building on the north side of location. It is hoped that funding will be Sheep Lane with brick ground floor and tile forthcoming to implement these plans. hung first floor might be improved by being painted. Ideally, the following works would . Proposals have been developed to reduce help: remove tile hanging and insert parking in Market Square and Church Hill windows in wall in pattern similar to the although those protecting their personal building to the left. Remove half-dormer. If interest in using the spaces for car parking required, insert dormer of traditional form have frustrated progress. The exclusion of and scale wholly within the roof, not parked cars from the area would improve breaking the eaves line. Lime plaster whole the character and appearance of the historic elevation. core. . The appearance of the greengrocer,‘Top . The Swan Inn should store rubbish Crop’, on West Street could be improved if internally and put it out on collection days the dormers were removed, the roof made as there is nowhere rubbish can be stored whole and the windows given glazing bars. externally without compromise to the Painting or lime plastering the elevation appearance of the area. would also enable it to fit in more comfortably with the historic environment.
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and encouraged, especially in relation to the 4.3 CHARACTER AREA 3 redevelopment of the Grange.
. Opportunities should be taken to reduce . Consideration could be given to how Duck vehicular dominance at the main crossroads Lane’s sense of enclosure could be (Petersfield Road, Rumbold’s Hill, West restored, perhaps by building high boundary Street and Bepton Road) and along walls with gates to parking areas. A large Rumbold’s Hill. It would be beneficial to copper beech was quite recently removed establish the junction as a shared space from the garden of Clover Cottage at the scheme that gives equal priority to northern end of Duck Lane. The view up the pedestrian and vehicular users. lane and the sense of enclosure at the northeast corner of the lane could be . The brick shop front to ‘Graham Standing enhanced if a similar tree were planted at Domestic Appliances’ on Rumbold’s Hill the entrance of the parking forecourt. would be better painted the same colour as the rest of the elevation. . The range of garages to Castle Gardens flats could potentially be redeveloped as 2 . The former Roman Catholic church on storey mews houses or FROGs (Finished Rumbold’s Hill would benefit from Room Over Garage). sympathetic restoration. . Wool Lane’s strong sense of enclosure . New buildings in the conservation area would be restored if the garden to the should accord with historic exemplars in Wheatsheaf Public House could be terms of their set backs, architectural design enclosed by a tall boundary wall with and detailing or achieve a complementary doorway through. architectural design. . The problem of buildings being painted . Opportunities should be taken to black and white might be addressed by reconfigure the façade of Midhurst Barber’s providing guidance to shopkeepers and Shop. This might be achieved through a house owners. Colours appropriate to more orthodox placement of windows and buildings of different ages could be defined. the painting over of the mock half-timbered Historically accurate colours could help to black and white colour scheme. improve their appearance and aid a correct interpretation of their heritage. Buildings like . The historic value of the medieval building the terrace of three to the west side of the at the corner of Bepton Road and West junction of Grange Road and West Street Street would be more apparent and the could be enhanced if they were painted in conservation area enhanced if it were popular Edwardian colours. restored to its historic appearance. Failing this, shopfront surrounds would provide . There is a project in hand to redevelop the definition or visual support. site of the Grange leisure centre. This should be done in ways that complement . The appearance of the Post Office building, Midhurst’s characteristic building patterns Violet Designs and Mane Street might be and employs materials in ways that are enhanced if window and door joinery were locally distinctive. painted in light colours. . Any future development should consist . The Court Building and its setting would be primarily of buildings with eaves parallel to enhanced if its single storey extensions the street. Gables should be used sparingly. could be demolished. 4.4 CHARACTER AREA 4 . Ways of improving the appearance of the telephone exchange should be discussed . Consideration could be given to how North with British Telecom at a local level to Street‘s open public character could be secure improvements. The potential for enhanced. One possible solution might be visual improvements should be explored to create a shared space with car parking at the centre of the road. This might
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emphasise its pedestrian public space - not brilliant white - and if its windows could character. be fitted with 6-over-6 pane sashes.
. The redevelopment of the Tesco building . Whithorne House could be enhanced if the would provide an opportunity for a quality original elevation were restored, enabling it redevelopment. The scale, form and to function as two shop units or offices. materials of historic buildings in the character area should serve as appropriate . The windows of the three-storey building on precedents. The rebuilding of the single the north side of Knockhundred row would storey building at its rear as 2 or 2½ storey be better restored to their original apartments may assist viability. appearance. It is assumed that the uPVC windows were installed without consent. . The removal or replacement of Dutch style shop canopies with straight canopies is . The building accommodating Knockhundred encouraged. Market would benefit from being restored to its historic appearance, with a correctly . The appearance of Valet Dry Cleaners detailed carriageway and doorway could be much improved if its shopfront entrance. were to be restored to its historic appearance. 4.5 CHARACTER AREA 5
. All signage should be hand painted. Historic . North Street Car Park could be improved photos show how previous shopfronts were through partial resurfacing in a buff, natural well matched to the architectural colour and planting carefully selected trees composition of their building frontages. The within the space to improve its appearance. reinstatement of original or historic designs will be supported. . Rother House will be demolished as part of the redevelopment of the school site. Any . The townscape environment could be new building should address the lane in improved if single-storey buildings by the ways that are suited to its rural and junction of North Street and Knockhundred educational character as well as its Row were redeveloped on condition that distinctive architectural qualities. that this is done in a way that is sensitive to the materials and massing of this part of the . Any extension should accord with the character area. architectural quality and tradition of the principal structure. . The rural character of June Lane and the appearance of the buildings on its north 4.6 CHARACTER AREA 6 side could be improved by planting shrubbery or trees in the area adjacent to . If the garage block at the western end of the the building facing the small triangular character area (by Jubilee Path) is open space on Rumbold’s Hill. underused it could be considered for demolition. The space may have potential . The Old Surgery would be improved as a community garden. through the removal of mock half-timbering and the restoration of its historic . If opportunities emerge to redevelop the appearance. poor quality housing along The Wharf, the distinctive qualities of Midhurst’s . Castle View (10 North Street) would be characteristic historic streets should provide enhanced if it were redecorated in an useful examples. The area could support a Edwardian colour scheme that more clearly mix of high quality housing with market expressed its age. housing complementing and subsidising the affordable. . The negative impact of MG House could be somewhat reduced if its walls were lime . Refuse and recycling bins should be stored plastered or entirely painted in a light colour out of sight within property boundaries.
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. All new building should employ materials structure should be much more responsive and utilise them in ways that are distinctive to Midhurst’s characteristic building to the character area and conservation traditions. area. . The character of Victorian and Edwardian . Domestic buildings should normally express suburban houses should be retained a domestic character and industrial through preserving their original features buildings an industrial character. Building such as unpainted brickwork and their use should be reflected in building form and timber door and window joinery. not adopt characteristics of a contrasting typology. . New buildings built of brick should source bricks that match the colour, size and . It would be beneficial for the sewage textural qualities of Midhurst’s locally pumping station to be relocated and the produced bricks. area allocated to public space. It would make a good picnic or play area. . In seeking to achieve local distinctiveness and appropriateness to context, designers . The pathway from The Wharf to Cowdray should understand local building patterns could be surfaced with a regular, rustic and material qualities without crass imitation material such as compacted gravel so as to or simplification of existing forms. be accessible to wheelchair users. . The presbytery of St Mary’s Church could . The suite of street furniture, such as be improved through the remodelling of the benches, should respond to the more rural front elevation and the concealment of the setting of the riverside walk. poor masonry behind a lime plaster.
. A management regime is required to . The cracks to the north and south sides of maintain the trees on the slopes of St Ann’s St Mary’s Roman Catholic Church should Hill. be repaired in mortar that matches the original. . Directional signage should be provided to direct visitors to the attractive riverside walk. . Any replacement of the 1960s weatherboarded building on June Lane should be appropriate to its context by 4.7 CHARACTER AREA 7 employing a suitable building form and facing materials. . Any redevelopment should respect and enhance existing street patterns to create a . The stretch of Bepton Road between the connected, rational environment. slate hung industrial building and the Development should always relate to other junction with Petersfield Road would benefit parts of the settlement, creating a network from redevelopment and the re- of connected streets and public spaces. If a establishment of a street elevation that rational plan is inherent in the settlement respects Midhurst’s building character and form, this pattern should be continued in quality. new development. . There is no reason why petrol stations . Most of the site of Midhurst Convent is should be exempt from requirements to proposed for redevelopment. Proposals for achieve sensitivity to context through the change should respect Midhurst’s use of locally appropriate building forms and characteristic building patterns and the materials. This site would benefit from setting of the listed Convent building, which redevelopment. should retain its villa character by being preserved in an appropriate setting. . Owners of buildings identified as having potential for enhancement to neutral or . When opportunities emerge to redevelop positive townscape quality would benefit the modern Convent accommodation which from advice. The possibility of an incentive faces Petersfield Road, the replacement scheme to encourage work to be
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undertaken might be explored. each involved in the effort to improve the biodiversity of the pond and its surroundings. . A number of the buildings identified as negative have redevelopment potential that 5 MONITORING AND REVIEW is currently being explored. Areas which are not subject to redevelopment plans might The efficient delivery of a conservation service benefit from development briefs which requires regular monitoring of change and the demonstrate how the sites could be agents of change. The Local Planning Authority enhanced. is expected to undertake:
. The Police Station could be easily • Periodic reviews of the effectiveness with enhanced through boundary planting and a which the service addresses pressures for more domestic front garden. This would change; make it relate to properties with larger • Updating of the baseline photographic survey setbacks such as Rose and Granville of the Midhurst Conservation Area on a four Cottages. yearly basis; • Review the Midhurst Conservation Area
Character Appraisal on a five-year basis; 4.8 NATURE CONSERVATION • Annual review and updating of the Midhurst MANAGEMENT PROPOSALS (RELATING Conservation Area Management Proposals. LARGELY TO CA6)
River Rother and Rother Valley Site of 6 ACTION PLAN Nature Conservation Interest (SNCI) The actions below, most of which are the Sussex Biodiversity Partnership has identified responsibility of the District Council, are based this section of the Site of Nature Conservation on the Recommended Actions in Section 2 of Interest as a Biodiversity Opportunity Area the Management Proposals, and include further (BOA) as it represents an important area of actions that are considered necessary to opportunity for the restoration of a nationally ensure that the Midhurst Conservation Area important habitat (Biodiversity Action Plan continues to be preserved and enhanced by the habitat). Opportunities identified include: relevant authorities.
The restoration and management of the 6.1 IMMEDIATE PROJECTS (6-18 wetland or water meadow habitats; MONTHS) Establishing an ecological network, which links areas for wildlife allowing These are generally those that can be adopted species to adapt to changing conditions without reference to other programmes and improving their chances of survival. including resource planning. They will be capable of being completed within the Other management options include: next year:
• Formal adoption of the Conservation Area Planting and extension of the belts of Character Appraisal as a material consideration trees to create screening; in determining planning applications and to Maintaining water quality and depth of inform future historic environment policies; the River Rother, retaining good bank-
side cover and avoiding dredging or • Formal adoption of the Management disturbance of the river. Proposals as a supporting document to a
potential future Historic Environment South pond and stream area Supplementary Planning Document (SPD);
To improve the biodiversity at south pond, The • Designate amendments to the Midhurst South Pond Active Community Endeavour Conservation Area boundary as proposed in (SPACE) has been set up. This is a joint effort the boundary review (Recommended Action 1); involving Chichester District Council, South
Downs Joint Committee, Midhurst Town Council, and local volunteer/charity groups,
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• Establish a policy and updated criteria for unauthorised satellite dishes Local Listing (Recommended Action 6); (Recommended Action 3);
• Use community involvement to select • Monitor changes in Midhurst Conservation buildings and structures for the Local List in Area, including producing and the regularly Midhurst (Recommended Action 6); updating of a photographic baseline for the conservation area, which should never be more 6.2 MEDIUM-TERM PROJECTS (18 than four years old; MONTHS – 3 YEARS) • Review of the Midhurst Conservation Area These require preparation but should be Appraisal on a ten-year basis; completed within three years: • Carry out a review of these Management • Serve an Article 4 Direction on the Midhurst Proposals on an annual basis. Conservation Area (Recommended Action 2);
• The Town Council, District Council and County Council will consider ways of improving pedestrian safety, reducing the speed of through traffic and HGV movements in the Midhurst Conservation Area (Recommended Action 5).
6.3 CONTINUOUS TASKS
These require revisiting on a regular basis:
• Preserve ‘positive’ buildings in the Midhurst Conservation Area from unsuitable alterations, extensions or demolition through the usual development control procedures.
• Similarly, protect trees and the surrounding landscape in and around Midhurst Conservation Area - (Recommended Action 4);
• Ensure that development control practice:
. Requires planning applications for ‘material’ changes such as new windows or roof materials on unlisted commercial properties;
. Ensures that all new development in the Midhurst Conservation Area is of the highest quality, with particular reference to rooflines, height, bulk, materials and details (Recommended Action 7);
. Protects and enhances trees and the surrounding landscape in the Midhurst Conservation Area in partnership with local groups (Recommended Action 4);
. Uses its full powers of enforcement including achieving the removal of
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APPENDICES AND INFORMATION RELATING TO CHARACTER AREA MAPS
Keys for CA Maps
Buildings which are predominantly of one category but incorporate details of another, such as stone with brick details around openings and for edge details, are illustrated according to the dominant material but with the secondary material shown as dots. Buildings that have different predominant materials for ground and first floors are shown with a border illustrating the ground floor material and upper storey material on the inside.
The following types building have been identified:
1. Medieval dark brown
2. Post-medieval/Georgian/Regency with shop light blue
3. Georgian/Regency 5 bays, 1 & 2 bay houses & semi-detached dark blue
4. Victorian/Edwardian/early C20 focal building/church yellow
5. Victorian/ Edwardian gabled with shop orange
6. Victorian/ Edwardian villa burgundy
7. Cottage terrace light green
8. Industrial/service/ancillary grey
9. Neo-traditional mauve
10. Modern, negative impact pink
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